As part of the conclave on pensions initiated in 2025-2026, the Pension Orientation Council (COR) is piloting a structural reform of the survivor’s pension which could shake up the system from 2027. “Cis a French law which allows the surviving spouse to be protected, in particular to maintain their standard of livingspecifies Laure Moudenc, general director of Ombello. According to studies, there are approximately 4.4 million French people who benefit from it, 87% of whom are women “. Knowing that 8 to 10% of people who could qualify for it do not ask for it because it is not automatic.
What are the conditions for touching it? You have to be marriedwith or without duration conditions depending on the pension fund. If there are several marriages, it is distributed pro rata temporis. The required age is on average 55 years oldor depending on the fund, without age condition with a disability pension. And last point, the resource conditions. For the general regime, in 2026, it must not exceed 25,001.60 euros for a single person, 40,002.56 euros for a couple.
PACS and reversion rate
“ This is the first construction site of HORNpoints out the expert. L’extension of this system to civil partnership couples and to cohabiteesto be more in line with the family situation of the French in a society that has profoundly changed “. Today, a person can have lived with their spouse for several decades, have contributed to the common life project but find themselves without any rights because they were not married by choice. Behind this change, an important issue for women, with more fragmented careers and incomes on average lower than those of men. “ It is very likely that this subject will move forward », analyzes Laure Moudenc.
“ In the collective unconscious, there is talk of the deceased’s entire retirement pensionshe continues. But the survivor’s pension is partial and can range from 54% to 60% of the amount of the pension received or that the deceased could also have received“. Some funds go up to 100%, subject to having taken an optional option, but there is still quite a difference depending on affiliations to pension funds, which implies varying amounts depending on professional career paths. The idea of COR? Establish a single rate of survivor’s pension for all regimes and make the system more readable and fairer. “ Of course there will be winners and losers. she reveals. Certain historically more favorable measures will be revised downwards “.
The question of resource ceilings
The other sore point? “ The generalization of resource ceilings “. Today, depending on the regime, income can be decisive or not count at all. And when they count, they vary from simple to double, like that of social security for the self-employed, artisan-traders, for which the ceiling is 96,120 euros, or twice the annual ceiling of the general system. “ Either this relates to a social logicit should be reserved for those who need it mostadds Laure Moudenc. Either it is a logic of lawthe very foundation of the principle of survivor’s pension“. Without forgetting the economic reality of the poor health of French pension funds.
Is it possible to anticipate this subject before the reforms? Why not get married by the – uncertain – deadline of 2027? And above all, do not hesitate to ask for survivor’s pension when you are concerned. “ Better to ask for it and realize that you are not entitled to it than to say that you did not knowadvises the expert. Especially since we may not be eligible at the moment T but a personal situation may change, just like the regulations “.
