Retirement Fund death benefit applications must be submitted to the provincial or district Social Security Directorate (SGK). Death pensions paid by the Social Security Institution are provided to the deceased insured person’s surviving family members. The legally married spouse, parents and children of the insured may be eligible for the death pension. If the parents are in poor financial condition and other relatives have no entitlement, the death pension can be awarded to the parents. However, if the spouse or children have a need, the pension will not be granted to the parents.
What Is a Death Pension and Who Can Benefit from It?
A death pension is a benefit granted to the spouse, children and parents of an insured person who has died. Salaries of individuals insured under 4A, 4B and 4C insurance are transferable to their families in the event of death. The death pension prepared for first-degree relatives is distributed among entitled beneficiaries. The portions paid as orphan’s pension and widow/widower pension are not reclaimed by the Social Security Institution.
As long as the death pension continues to be received, beneficiaries must comply with the conditions required by SGK. Death pensions paid to daughters are not cut off for reasons other than entering a high-income job or getting married. Women who receive a death pension may request a one-time dowry payment for marriage. The amount of the dowry paid in exchange for the 4C death pension corresponds to one year’s total amount of the death pension.
How to Apply for a Death Pension?
Applicants who wish to apply for a death pension must visit the Social Security Institution in person and submit an application. Those who wish to apply at provincial or district SGK offices should prepare the documents requested by the institution and go to the office. After the death pension application form is prepared, the application documents will be accepted. If an income test is required, institution staff will initiate the process and provide the necessary forms for applicants to complete.
Once the income test is completed, the death pension application will be processed on the applicant’s behalf. The review period for a death pension application typically takes about 5 to 7 days. When the application is approved, pension payments begin on the first day of the month following the approval date.
How to Check Your Death Pension Application?
The death pension application status can be checked through the e-Government (e-Devlet) system. To check the application online, follow these steps:
- Open the e-Government portal’s Social Security Institution gateway.
- Click “Sign In” and verify your Turkish ID number and e-Government password.
- After identity verification, complete the system login.
- On the Social Security Institution’s transactions page, select the “Death Pension” section.
- After querying the death pension application, you can confirm whether the application has been approved.
The application status page will provide detailed information about an approved pension. If no information appears on the query page, it means the death pension has not been approved.
How Are Death Pension Shares Determined?
Death pension shares are distributed proportionally among first-degree beneficiaries. The allocation rates used when dividing the death pension are explained below:
- The legally married spouse receives 50% of the death pension.
- If the insured had no children, 75% of the death pension is allocated to the spouse.
- Children receive 25% of the death pension. Orphan’s pensions are distributed to all children and must not be less than 25% in total.
- If one child and one spouse both qualify, the pension is split 50%–50% between them.
- The orphan’s pension portions for siblings increase if the number of entitled beneficiaries decreases.
- If necessary, parents can be included among beneficiaries for death pension payments.
The total amount distributed as death pensions cannot exceed the deceased insured person’s total pension amount.
What Are the 4C Death Pension Application Requirements?
The main conditions for receiving a death pension are:
- Applicants must be first-degree relatives of the deceased insured and be registered in the civil registry.
- Financial need is required. Per-capita monthly income in the household must not exceed one-third of the minimum wage.
- Male children receiving the pension must not have started insurance after age 17.
- Males must continue their education either in formal or distance learning to remain eligible.
- Daughters must not be married in order to receive the pension.
Documents Required for a 4C Death Pension Application
The documents requested for a death pension application typically include:
- Original and photocopies of ID cards of applicants
- Death pension application form
- Residence (address) registration document
- Death certificate of the insured
- SGK service record of the deceased insured
- Income test and income documents for household members
- Student certificates for applicants who are students
- SGK service records of household members
In Which Situations Is the Death Pension Suspended?
The death pension, which is classified as orphan’s pension and widow/widower pension, may be suspended under the following circumstances:
- If orphaned daughters or sons begin employment covered by SGK, death pension payments stop.
- When daughters marry, death pension payments are suspended. If the marriage ends, daughters can be re-included under a parent’s insurance and resume receiving the pension.
- If a daughter receives dowry payment before marrying, the death pension will be suspended for one year and then reallocated to other siblings after that year.
- Women or men receiving a spouse’s death pension cannot continue to receive it after remarrying. Cohabitation without official marriage determined by SGK is subject to sanctions.
- Male children who discontinue education will see pension payments stop when they reach age 20.
- Male students in university can receive the pension until age 25 at the latest, provided they do not start working under SGK during that time.
- If daughters start working under SGK, the combined income will be evaluated; pensions continue only if the total income remains at a low level. If their salary is high, the death pension is terminated.
- If beneficiaries purchase real estate or their monthly income increases, death pension payments may be stopped.
- The per-capita income in the household must not exceed one-third of the minimum wage. If the per-person monthly income rises above this limit, death pensions will be terminated.
If SGK investigations find factors that warrant suspension of the death pension, payments will be stopped. Beneficiaries are required to notify SGK of any changes that might end the pension entitlement.
What Are the Conditions for Students Receiving a Death Pension?
Restrictions on death pension use apply mainly to male students. Female children face no education- or age-related limit, while male children can only receive the pension during their university education. Male beneficiaries studying in high school or open high school may receive the pension until age 20. Male students in university can receive the death pension up to age 25 provided they do not start working under SGK. If a child receiving the death pension starts working covered by SGK during the pension period, they lose the right to continue receiving it.