Italian survivor's pension: who qualifies, how much you get and when it is cut

Reversibilità and indirect pension

The survivor's pension goes by two names in Italy. It is called di reversibilità if the person who died was already retired, and indiretta if they were still working. The amount is based on the pension the deceased received or would have received, and a percentage applies depending on who is left.

For the indirect pension, the worker needs at least 15 years of contributions, or at least 5 years of which 3 were paid in the 5 years before death.

Who is entitled

• Spouse and civil-partner. Unmarried cohabiting partners, even with children and many years together, are not entitled.
• Divorced spouse, only if at the time of death they receive a divorce maintenance payment and have not remarried.
• Children who are minors, students (up to 21 at secondary school, 26 at university) and dependent disabled children of any age.
• Parents and siblings who are dependent, only if there is no spouse or child.

A surviving spouse who remarries loses the pension, but receives a lump sum equal to two years of it.

The shares

With no spouse, a single child gets 70%, two children 80% and three or more 100%. Parents and siblings get 15% each.

When it is reduced: the survivor's income

If the surviving spouse has other income, the survivor's pension is cut, based on the INPS minimum pension. In 2026 the minimum is €611.85 a month, or €7,954.05 a year (a provisional figure, with a 1.4% indexation). The thresholds are multiples of that amount:

Almost all personal income counts (work, pensions, rent, investment income), but not the family home or the survivor's pension itself. The reduction does not apply if the beneficiaries include minor children, students or disabled children.

What it means for your plan

• Do not count on 100%. A household with two pensions loses a good deal of income when one partner dies, while fixed costs fall much less.
• Other income matters. If you live off investment income or run a business, you may cross the thresholds and lose up to half. Factor this in when you estimate the couple's sustainable income.
• Unmarried partners. Without marriage or a civil union there is no survivor's pension: other protection is needed, such as term life insurance or a will.
• One partner retiring early. If one of you stops sooner, their pension will be lower and so will the survivor's pension: see how much pension you lose stopping early.

How to apply

The claim is made to INPS online (SPID, CIE or CNS), through a patronato or the contact centre. The pension starts on the first day of the month after death, even if the claim is filed later: arrears are paid. It is taxable income (IRPEF).

For your own situation, especially with divorces, disabled children or foreign contributions (see Italian pension with contributions in Italy and abroad), it is worth checking with INPS or a patronato.

Sources

• INPS, Pensioni 2026: i nuovi importi e le date di pagamento (2026 minimum pension)
• INPS, circular no. 104 of 16 June 2003 (disabled children)
• Law no. 335 of 8 August 1995 (shares and reduction table)
• ENAC, Pensione di reversibilità 2026: importi e requisiti