What to do when someone passes away?
Do I have to report the passing?
The deceased was domiciled in Belgium?
- Please report the passing to the Civil Registry of the municipality where the person passed away.
Find out more about reporting a passing on the website Belgium.be.Opens in a new window - The Pensions Service will automatically be informed.
The deceased was domiciled abroad?
- Please report the passing to the competent local authority of the country in question. They will provide you with a death certificate.
Find out more about reporting a passing abroad on the website Belgium.be.Opens in a new window - Please send us a copy of the death certificate:
- by e-mail to info@sfpd.fgov.be
or - by post.
- by e-mail to info@sfpd.fgov.be
What will happen to the last month's pension or benefit?
The pensioner passed away after the payment date of the pension?
The persons entitled can keep the pension amount.
The pensioner passed away before the payment date of the pension?
If, in the meantime, the amount has already been paid, the Pensions Service will first reclaim this amount, unless there is a surviving cohabiting spouse.
After this, we will check who is entitled to the last month's amount and these persons will receive the amount.
How will the reclamation be carried out?
- The payment happened by bank transfer? The bank will automatically reclaim the payment. You do not have to do anything.
- Did the postman deliver the pension at home (postal check)? You have to return the amount to the postman or to your post office.
Who is entitled to the arrears?
- Pension or arrears
The cohabiting spouse is always entitled to the last month's pension or arrears the deceased was still entitled to.
There is no spouse? Other people may be entitled.
Find out more about the payment of the pension or other benefits after a passing
- Guaranteed Income for Elderly Persons (GIEP)
Whoever paid the nursing, hospital or funerary costs, may be entitled to the last month's benefit.
Find out more about the Guaranteed Income for Elderly Persons (GIEP) after a passing
- Holiday allowance
If the pensioner was entitled to the holiday allowance, he received it together with the pension amount of the month of May.
What am I entitled to in case of a decease?
Survivor's pension
A survivor's pension is a benefit for the spouse.
If the deceased was a civil servant, the ex-spouse may also be entitled to a survivor's pension.
It does not matter whether the deceased had already retired or not.
You can, to a limited extent, combine the survivor's pension with your own pension or benefit.
Find out more about the survivor's pension
Transitional allowance
People who are too young for a survivor's pension (under 49 years and 6 months in 2024), may be entitled to a transitional allowance.
You can combine the transitional allowance unlimitedly with other pensions or benefits, but not with a survivor's pension or transitional allowance stemming from another marriage.
Find out more about the transitional allowance
Temporary survivor's pension (for civil servants only)
You were not married for a complete year and your situation is not equated? In that case, you can be entitled, as the spouse or ex-spouse of a civil servant, to a temporary survivor's pension.
Find out more about the temporary survivor's pension
Funeral allowance (for civil servants only)
The deceased was a retired established civil servant?
You may qualify for compensation of the funerary costs.
Find out more about the funeral allowance
Orphans' pension (for civil servants only)
The deceased was a retired established civil servant?
Full orphans may, under certain conditions, qualify for an orphans' pension as long as they have not reached the age of 18 (or older if they are still receiving child benefits).
My spouse has passed away. What are the consequences for my own pension or benefits?
Are you, as the next of kin, already receiving a pension or another benefit yourself? In this case, the passing may have consequences:
- for your retirement pension:
If you are receiving a retirement pension at the household rate, we will convert this to a retirement pension as a single person.
Find out more about the calculation of the retirement pension - for your GIEP:
We will recalculate your GIEP on the basis of your financial means and new family situation.
Find out more about the calculation of the GIEP
Who has to file the deceased's tax return?
The heirs have to file the deceased's tax return. Find out more about filing the tax return on Belgium.be.Opens in a new window
To file the tax return, you will need a pension sheet (sheet no. 281.11) or a tax form.
Please use our application module:
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