Can a Woman Receiving a Retirement Pension Also Get a Widow’s Pension?

A retired woman can receive a survivor’s pension in addition to her retirement pension, but certain conditions must be met. If the surviving spouse is an SSK retiree and continues to receive a retirement pension, it is possible for the couple to receive two pensions.

To apply for a survivor’s pension, specific procedures must be completed. The applicant should apply to the SGK Retirement Services General Directorate, Public Servants Retirement Department to finalize the required paperwork and submissions.

What Documents Are Needed to Receive a Survivor’s Pension?

The documents required for a survivor’s pension are specified by the SGK Retirement Services General Directorate, Public Servants Retirement Department.

The necessary documents include:

3 recent photographs taken within the last six months,
A copy of the civil registry (vukuatlı nüfus kayıt örneği),
An identity inquiry document,
An application petition (request letter)

After submitting these documents, the application for a survivor’s pension is reviewed and, if approved, the pension is granted.

Can Retired Couples Receive Two Pensions?

Receiving two pensions is possible when certain conditions are satisfied. In particular, surviving spouses who are SSK retirees may be eligible to receive both their own retirement pension and a survivor’s pension.

The main conditions are:

The woman must be an SSK retiree to apply for both her retirement pension and a survivor’s pension.
If the deceased spouse was a Bağkur retiree and the surviving spouse is an SSK retiree, both pensions can be paid. Emekli Sandığı retirees, however, are generally entitled to receive 75% of overlapping pensions under certain rules.

In What Situations Are Multiple Retirement Pensions Granted?

Receiving multiple retirement pensions depends on legal rules and specific insurance statuses of the deceased persons.

Accordingly:

If both parents are Emekli Sandığı retirees, a survivor may receive pensions from both the spouse and the parents regardless of the dates of death.
If the husband was an Emekli Sandığı retiree and a parent was covered under Bağkur, two pensions can be paid without considering the parents’ dates of death.
If the deceased persons were covered by SSK and Bağkur under the same insurance branch, the survivor may need to choose between one of the two pensions rather than receiving both.

Does Renouncing an Inheritance Prevent Survivor or Orphan’s Pensions?

Renouncing an inheritance does not automatically remove the right to survivor or orphan’s pensions. Refusing an inheritance does not prevent eligible beneficiaries from receiving survivor or orphan payments. However, if the insured person died while employed, the spouse and children must meet minimum premium payment conditions to qualify for pension benefits.

For a death pension to be granted under SSK, the insured worker generally must have been insured for at least five years and have at least 900 days of paid premiums. If these conditions are met, survivor or orphan pensions may be awarded even if the inheritance was renounced. In some cases, a total of 1,800 days of reported premiums is required for the death pension to be established.

What Are the Conditions for a Death Pension?

The conditions for a death pension are defined by law and focus on the insured person’s premium payment history. The deceased insured must have completed a minimum period of premium payments for the death pension to be payable.

Specifically:

If an Emekli Sandığı or Bağkur insured person died after October 2008, at least 1,800 days of paid premiums are generally required.
If an SSK-insured person died after October 2008, the person should have been insured for at least five years and have at least 900 days of paid premiums.
If a deceased person was a Bağkur beneficiary, all outstanding premium debts, including general health insurance premiums, should be paid for survivor benefits to be processed.

How Can You Receive Two Pensions from Parents?

To receive pensions from both parents, the spouse and both parents must be deceased in certain combinations and under specific insurance statuses. When the deceased spouse and parents share the same insurance category, usually only the highest pension is paid and the person receives a single payment.

However, if the deceased spouse was under Emekli Sandığı and a parent was under Bağkur or SSK, it may be possible to receive two pensions. The timing of death, especially whether it occurred before October 2008, can affect eligibility. In some cases where one parent or the spouse died before October 2008, multiple pensions may still be payable.

Under What Conditions Are Two Retirement Pensions Paid?

Eligibility for two retirement pensions varies according to the insurance status of the deceased individuals.

Examples include:

If the spouse is covered by Bağkur and a parent is covered by SSK, two pensions may be paid.
If the spouse is SSK-covered and a parent is Bağkur-covered, receiving two pensions may be possible.
If the spouse is an Emekli Sandığı member and the parents are SSK-covered, two pensions may be payable.
If the spouse is an Emekli Sandığı member and the parents are Bağkur-covered, double pensions may be granted.
If the spouse is SSK-covered and the parents are Emekli Sandığı members, two pensions may be paid.
If the spouse is Bağkur-covered and the parents are Emekli Sandığı members, two pensions may be granted.

How Much Is the Survivor and Orphan’s Pension?

Survivor and orphan’s pensions are calculated based on who the beneficiaries are and how many dependent children there are.

Accordingly:

If the beneficiaries are the spouse and one child: 50% of the retirement pension is paid to the spouse and 25% to the child.
If the beneficiaries are the spouse and two children: the spouse receives 50% and the children together receive 25% of the pension.
If the beneficiaries are the spouse and three children: the spouse receives 40% and each child together receives a total of 20% of the pension.

Survivor and orphan pensions are adjusted annually according to inflation rates.

How to Check Survivor Pension Status?

Survivor pension inquiries can be carried out online via the e-Government (e-Devlet) system. They can also be initiated through the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations associated with the local district governorate (Kaymakamlık).

To check via e-Government:

Log in to the e-Government portal using your Turkish ID number and e-Government password.
An e-Government password can be purchased at any PTT branch for a nominal fee.
After logging in, search for “dul maaşı” (survivor pension) to view details about payment dates and amounts.

Who Is Eligible for a Survivor’s Pension?

Specific conditions must be met to receive a survivor’s pension.

These conditions include:

The spouse must be deceased.
A legal marriage is required; religious-only marriages are not accepted for survivor pension eligibility.
Remarrying results in the termination of the survivor pension. The beneficiary must remain a widow or widower during the payment period.
The applicant’s income must generally be below a threshold—often around one-third of the minimum wage—to qualify for the survivor pension.

Eligible widows and widowers, both men and women, may apply for the survivor pension if they meet these criteria.