Upon the death of his spouse, it is possible to receive a survivor’s pension, which corresponds to part of the pension he received. Several conditions are essential in order to be able to obtain it, in particular a minimum age limit of 55 years, as well as a certain threshold of resources. In this case, what conditions of resources are subject to the surviving spouse? What happens if he decides to go back to work?

First of all, it is important to differentiate between the survivor’s pension under the general scheme and that under the supplementary schemes. For the general scheme, the survivor’s pension is paid subject to means testing. In 2023, your income must therefore not exceed 23,441.60 euros if you live alone and 37,506.56 euros if you live as a couple. For public service plans or supplementary plans, no condition is required. All earned income counts, with a 30% allowance.

When you resume salaried activity, you must notify your pension fund. Your new income will thus be taken into account with the same reduction of 30%. As long as your income does not exceed 1676.13 euros, your pension will not be reduced. However, if they exceed this limit, your total survivor’s pension will be reduced accordingly. In the case of an Agirc-Arrco supplementary pension, the resumption of an activity does not lead to a change in its amount.