Orphan's pension

General information
Orphans' pensions are the so-called survivors' pensions and are granted to orphaned dependent children.

Conditions for entitlement
An orphan who is a dependent child is always entitled to an orphan’s pension in relation to a deceased parent (adoptive parent/carer) who was receiving an old-age or disability pension, or who died as a result of an occupational accident. For entitlement to an orphan’s pension to arise in other cases, the deceased must have completed a prescribed period of pension insurance by the date of death. This period depends on the age of the deceased parent and amounts to half the insurance period required for entitlement to a disability pension; or:

• In case of a person older than 28 years, the period of pension insurance shall be at least one year in the period of last 10 years preceding the date of death;

• In case of a person older than 38 years, the period of pension insurance shall be two years in the period of last 20 years preceding the date of death.

At least one or two years of pension insurance period of the deceased parent must be met, excluding periods treated as periods of insurance. This means that it must be a period of paid insurance, that is, a period of gainful employment for which income subject to social insurance premiums (pension insurance) was paid.

The entitlement to orphan's pension shall not arise after a foster parent.
A dependent child is a child until the end of his/her compulsory education and then, up to a maximum age of 26 years, if he/she prepares systematically for future occupation or, in simple terms, he/she is unable to prepare for a future occupation or to pursue a gainful activity for health reasons (for illness or injury). Following the completion of the compulsory education, a child who is registered as a job-seeker and who is not entitled to unemployment benefit or retraining support shall be considered a dependent child up to the age of 18 years.
A dependent child is not a child who is a beneficiary of a third degree disability pension.