Transitional benefit for survivors
BENEFITS
|Updated 13. November 2023
Transitional benefit for survivors in brief
If you do not meet the conditions for survivor’s pension, you may be entitled to transitional benefit. Transitional benefit is intended to secure income for people whose marriage lasted less than 5 years and who do not have joint children with the deceased, or who have daily care of the deceased’s children.
Transitional benefit for survivors is calculated in the same way as survivor’s pension, but is only paid out for a limited period.
Transitional benefit for survivors is for people who have lost a close family member (in Norwegian)
Contents
Transitional benefit for survivors in brief
If you do not meet the conditions for survivor’s pension, you may be entitled to transitional benefit. Transitional benefit is intended to secure income for people whose marriage lasted less than 5 years and who do not have joint children with the deceased, or who have daily care of the deceased’s children.
Transitional benefit for survivors is calculated in the same way as survivor’s pension, but is only paid out for a limited period.
Transitional benefit for survivors is for people who have lost a close family member (in Norwegian)
Who is entitled to this benefit?
You may be entitled to transitional benefit for a surviving spouse or partner if:
- the marriage lasted less than 5 years and you and the deceased did not have joint children
- you are in a period of restructuring as a result of your spouse or spousal equivalent’s death
- you are taking education that will improve your opportunities to start working. NB: You must start the education within 2 years of the deceased’s death
- you have the daily care of children that the deceased had with another partner (children from a previous relationship). NB: The care must have started before the deceased died and have continued without interruption
If you remarry or have a child with a new cohabiting partner, you will no longer be entitled to transitional benefit for a surviving spouse.
Children’s pension
Surviving children may be entitled to a children’s pension.
Death caused by an occupational injury or occupational illness
If a person’s death was caused by an approved occupational injury or occupational illness, their survivors may be entitled to survivor’s pension according to special rules. For example, the requirements concerning membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme are less strict, and the requirements regarding the duration of the marriage or joint children do not apply.
How much are you entitled to?
Your survivor’s pension will be calculated on the basis of the deceased’s earned pension, with a reduction based on your income. The pension consists of basic pension, supplementary pension and/or any special supplements.
Basic pension
Basic pension is calculated on the basis of the deceased’s period of national insurance cover. In order to receive a full basic pension, the deceased’s period of national insurance cover must be at least 40 years (i.e. their period of residence in Norway).
New cohabiting partner reduces your basic pension
Your basic pension will be reduced if you start living with a new partner. Once you have been living with your partner for at least 12 of the last 18 months, your basic pension will be reduced to 90 per cent. With a period of national insurance cover of 40 years, this corresponds to NOK 106,758.
Remember to notify NAV if you start living with a new partner.
Supplementary pension
Supplementary pension is calculated on the basis of your deceased spouse or cohabitant’s previous earned income and their earned pension.
Your supplementary pension constitutes 55 per cent of the supplementary pension the deceased would have received if they had been entitled to disability pension or old-age pension (at the time of their death).
Special supplement
You can receive a special supplement if your deceased spouse or cohabitant has little or no earned supplementary pension.
Pension earnings from abroad
If the deceased has accumulated pension rights in a country with which Norway has a social security agreement, you may also be entitled to a pension from that country.
How does earned income from work affect transitional benefit?
Transitional benefit for survivors will be reduced if you have or can be expected to have your own earned income.
If your earned income from work is higher than half the national insurance basic amount (“G”) , which currently corresponds to NOK 59,310, 40 per cent of the excess will be deducted from the benefit. How much you will receive will thus depend on both your income and the deceased’s income.
As a general rule, NAV expects you to maintain your previous income level, and that you earn at least two times the national insurance basic amount (“G”), which currently corresponds to NOK 237,240.
You may be exempt from the requirement regarding earned income if you have not worked for a long period of time before the deceased died and you were 55 years of age or older at the time of their death. In addition, exemption from the requirement may also be granted if you have health problems, if you have the care of a child under the age of 3 years old, if you have the care of a child with special care needs, or other care responsibilities.
If you were living with the deceased at the time of their death, the first year is considered a transitional period, during which you are not required to earn income.
Examples of how survivor’s pension and transitional benefit for survivors are calculated.
Exampel 1 | |
Your income | 500 000 |
Minus ½ G (as per 1 May 2021): | - 53 200 |
= 446 800 | |
From this sum, 40 per cent is deducted: 446 800 x 40 per cent = NOK 178 720. In other words, your survivor’s pension or transitional benefit for survivors will be reduced by NOK 178,800 per year, which corresponds to NOK 14,893 per month. If the deceased had low pension earnings, the calculation might look like this: | |
The deceased’s pension earnings converted into a monthly pension | 15 500 |
Deduction due to your monthly income | - 14 893 |
Monthly survivor’s pension / transitional benefit for survivors | = 607 |
Example 2 | |
Your income | 350 000 |
Minus ½ G (as per 1 May 2021) | - 53 200 |
= 296 800 | |
From this sum, 40 per cent is deducted: 296 800 x 40 per cent = 118 720 kroner. In other words, your survivor’s pension or transitional benefit for survivors will be reduced by NOK 118,720 per year, which corresponds to NOK 9,893 per month. If the deceased had low pension earnings, the calculation might look like this: | |
The deceased’s pension earnings converted into a monthly pension | 20 000 |
Deduction due to your monthly income | - 9 893 |
Monthly survivor’s pension / transitional benefit for survivors | = 10 107 |
Other benefits for survivors
If you are working, have children, are a genuine job seeker, are going to school or are studying, you may also be entitled to more support from NAV.
Some people may also be entitled to a survivor’s pension from a private occupational pension scheme.
If you are working, have children, are a genuine job seeker, are going to school or are studying, you may also be entitled to more support from NAV.
Some people may also be entitled to a survivor’s pension from a private occupational pension scheme.
If you have children, you may be entitled to extended child benefit.
If you are in work and have children, you may be entitled to child care benefit for survivors.
You may also be entitled to benefit to cover supervision of children and other family members if you are registered as a genuine job seeker.
You may be entitled to supplemental benefit for a surviving spouse if you are taking an approved education. The education must be necessary and appropriate to help you find work or keep your job.
You may also be entitled to an allowance to cover tuition fees for a surviving spouse.
Private occupational pension
Many employees are members of an occupational pension scheme through their workplace. Some of these pension schemes provide a pension for survivors, often with slightly different criteria from those that apply to survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
If appropriate, contact the deceased’s last employer, if the deceased was in work when they died.
How long can you receive this benefit for?
How long you can receive transitional benefit for survivors for depends on the duration of the marriage and whether you are responsible for caring for children.
If the marriage lasted less than 12 months, the main rule is that you can receive transitional benefit for survivors for a transitional period of up to 6 months.
If the marriage lasted longer than 12 months, the main rule is that you can receive transitional benefit for survivors for a transitional period of up to 12 months.
If you were married for less than 5 years and you have the daily care of the deceased’s children from a previous relationship, you may be entitled to transitional benefit for survivors up until the month in which the child turns 18.
NB: The care must have started before the deceased died and have continued without interruption. If your marriage and daily care of the deceased’s children have together lasted more than 5 years, you may be entitled to survivor’s pension.
When is the money paid out?
See payment dates.
Please be aware that these dates are when NAV guarantees you will have the money in your account.
Payment dates in 2023 |
---|
20. January |
20. February |
20. March |
20. April |
16. May |
20. June |
20. July |
18. August |
20. September |
20. October |
20. November |
12. December |
In your payment overview, you can see upcoming payments several days before the actual payment date.
The time of day when the payment will be credited to your account will vary, as it is your bank that transfers the payment into your account. Payments can therefore arrive in your account in the afternoon or evening.
Holiday pay
There is no holiday pay on this benefit.
Tax
Tax is deducted from the money.
Tax is deducted at the ordinary rate in June. No tax will be deducted in December, except for withholding tax or Svalbard tax.
To and from abroad
For people who are going abroad
First, you need to find out whether you will retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme while you are abroad.
Contact NAV to check whether you can keep your financial support during your temporary stay or permanent move abroad.
You may be entitled to pension payments abroad pursuant to the National Insurance Act.
Are you going to retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme?
If you move to another country, you do not retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, but you may be entitled to health services in your new country of residence. For more information about this, contact the Norwegian Health Economics Administration (HELFO).
Can you take your survivor’s pension with you?
If you move to an EEA country, you will usually continue to receive your survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
However, there are restrictions on the right to receive survivor’s pension abroad for certain groups of people. This applies to the special entitlements in the calculation of pensions for
- persons who are the survivors of young disabled people
Survivor’s pension granted under the exemption rules regarding the length of the deceased’s membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme prior to their death will not be paid if the survivor moves away from Norway.
Which countries are EEA countries?
See an overview of the EEA (European Economic Area) countries.
Switzerland and the Faroe Islands are not EEA countries, but the EEA rules on pensions also apply in these countries.
Your obligations if you move
If you move abroad, you must:
- notify NAV
- register the move in the Norwegian National Registry
Please note that if you move abroad, you must contact the Norwegian Tax Administration regarding your duty to pay tax to Norway.
A social security agreement between Norway and the country you are moving to may provide you with extended entitlement to pension payments.
Are you going to retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme?
If you move to another country, you do not retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, but you can apply for voluntary membership. You will get this if you have lived in Norway for at least 30 years after the age of 16 and at least 10 of the years were immediately before you moved abroad.
Can you take your survivor’s pension with you?
According to the rules in the Norwegian National Insurance Act, you can take survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme with you when you move abroad if you or the deceased lived in Norway for at least 20 years between the ages of 16 and 67 years. This applies regardless of which country you are moving to.
If your period of residence in Norway is shorter than 20 years, but you have a supplementary pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you will receive this and basic pension on the basis of the same number of years as your supplementary pension is based on, regardless of which country you move to.
Social security agreements that Norway has with other countries may provide extended entitlement to continue receiving your survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme after you have moved to the country with which Norway has a social security agreement.
However, there are restrictions on the right to receive survivor’s pension abroad for certain groups of people. This applies to the special entitlements in the calculation of pensions for
- persons who are the survivors of young disabled people
Survivor’s pension granted under the exemption rules regarding the length of the deceased’s membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme prior to their death will not be paid if the survivor moves away from Norway.
Countries outside the EEA that Norway has a social security agreement with
If you move to one of these countries, you may have extended entitlement to pension payments:
United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Quebec, Chile, Turkey, Australia, Israel, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.
Your obligations if you move
If you move abroad, you must:
- notify NAV
- register the move in the Norwegian National Registry
Please note that if you move abroad, you must contact the Norwegian Tax Administration regarding your duty to pay tax to Norway.
You may be entitled to pension payments abroad pursuant to the National Insurance Act.
Are you going to retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme?
If you move to another country, you do not retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, but you can apply for voluntary membership. You will get this if you have lived in Norway for at least 30 years after the age of 16 and at least 10 of the years were immediately before you moved abroad.
Can you take your survivor’s pension with you?
According to the rules in the Norwegian National Insurance Act, you can take survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme with you when you move abroad if you or the deceased lived in Norway for at least 20 years between the ages of 16 and 67 years. This applies regardless of which country you are moving to.
If your period of residence in Norway is shorter than 20 years, but you have a supplementary pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you will receive this and basic pension on the basis of the same number of years as your supplementary pension is based on, regardless of which country you move to.
Social security agreements that Norway has with other countries may provide extended entitlement to continue receiving your survivor’s pension from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme after you have moved to the country with which Norway has a social security agreement.
Your obligations if you move
If you move abroad, you must:
- notify NAV
- register the move in the Norwegian National Registry
Please note that if you move abroad, you must contact the Norwegian Tax Administration regarding your duty to pay tax to Norway.
Moving to Norway
As a general rule, you must be a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme in order to be entitled to transitional benefit for survivors.
Duty to report changes
If there are any changes in your income, family situation and/or work situation, or if you are planning to spend some time abroad, this may have an impact on the financial support you receive from NAV. You must therefore notify NAV immediately in the event of these kinds of changes.
Application and documentation
You can apply online or on paper. If you apply online, you do not need to submit documentation.
Application for transitional benefits for survivors
You will receive a written decision once your application has been processed. Normal processing time is maximum one month; you will be notified if it is going to take longer to process your application.
Processing time for applications
The processing time is the time from when we receive your application until we have made a decision. Remember that we need all the necessary documentation to process your application.
Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
---|---|
Application | 4 weeks |
Rule changes
For persons who are receiving transitional benefit as a surviving spouse before 2024
If you are already receiving transitional benefit, you will keep the benefit for the remainder of your benefit period. If you are also a caregiver for a child under age 18, you may keep the benefit for 3 years. The benefit may be extended by up to 2 years, if you need help finding employment, such as completing an education or work training.
If you were born in 1969 or earlier, you are a caregiver for a child under age 18, and you have had a low earned income for the past five years, you may keep the transitional benefit for 5 years. After that, the transitional benefit will be converted to an adjustment allowance, which may entail that your payments change. This benefit is paid until you turn 67 years old.
New rules for survivors from 2024
The transitional benefit for survivors is being replaced by an adjustment allowance. The allowance is intended to guarantee an income and to help you help yourself in an adjustment period after the death. After 6 months, you will normally be expected to have found employment or be participating in another type of activity, so that you can eventually provide for yourself.
These changes will likely take effect from 1 January 2024.
What is an adjustment allowance?
- A time-limited benefit that normally only lasts 3 years.
- The benefit may be extended by up to 2 years, if you need help finding employment, such as completing an education or work training.
- If you were born in 1962 or earlier and you had a low earned income in the last five years before the death, you may keep the benefit until you turn 67 years old.
- The benefit is 2.25 times the National Insurance basic amount G, currently NOK 266,895, depending on the period of national insurance coverage for the person who died.
- If your income exceeds 0.5 times G (currently NOK 59,310), the benefit will be reduced.
- The benefit is regarded as pensionable income.
Right to complain
Have you received a decision from us that you think is wrong? You can complain to the NAV Unit that issued the decision. They will reassess your case. If they do not agree with your complaint, they will forward it to the NAV Appeals Management Unit.
Complain about a decision
The decision will have information about how to proceed if you want to complain, where to send your complaint and the term of complaint. If you have questions about the decision, you can contact us.
Appeal a decision
If you disagree with the decision of your complaint from the the NAV Appeals Management Unit, you can, with some exceptions, appeal the decision. The deadline for appealing is stated in the decision.
More about
Processing time for complaints and appeals
Have you received a decision from us that you think is wrong? You can complain to the NAV Unit that issued the decision. They will reassess your case. If they do not agree with your complaint, they will forward it to the NAV Appeals Management Unit.
Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
---|---|
Complaint to the NAV unit | 12 weeks |
Complaint to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 20 weeks |
Appeals to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 20 weeks |
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