Widow’s Pension: How ZUS Will Calculate Your Combined Benefit from 2026
Starting January 2026, Polish retirees can claim a combined benefit consisting of their own pension and a portion of a late spouse’s pension, provided they meet specific legal and age requirements....
Starting January 2026, Polish retirees can claim a combined benefit consisting of their own pension and a portion of a late spouse’s pension, provided they meet specific legal and age requirements.
Table Of Content
New Rules for Combined Benefits
Beginning in 2026, eligible retirees may draw their own pension alongside a survivor’s pension. During the initial 2025–2026 period, the secondary benefit is set at 15 percent of the deceased spouse’s pension.
To qualify, individuals must have reached the statutory retirement age—60 for women or 65 for men—and maintained a formal marriage and joint property ownership until the spouse’s death. Furthermore, eligibility for the survivor’s pension must have been established no earlier than five years before reaching retirement age.
Calculating the Most Favorable Variant
The system allows recipients to keep 100 percent of their higher pension while adding 15 percent of the lower benefit. If a retiree’s own pension is 2,000 PLN and the survivor’s benefit is 3,000 PLN, they receive the full survivor’s benefit plus 300 PLN from their own.
If the personal pension is 4,000 PLN and the survivor’s is 2,500 PLN, the retiree keeps their own in full and adds 375 PLN. If both benefits are identical, the retiree keeps one in full and adds 15 percent of the other.
Payment Caps and Financial Limits
Total monthly combined payments are strictly capped at three times the minimum state pension. As of 2026, this limit is 5,935.47 PLN gross; any amount exceeding this threshold is forfeited and will not be paid by ZUS.
How to Apply for the Benefit
Applicants must submit the ERWD form to ZUS, either online via PUE ZUS, by registered mail, or in person. If the survivor’s pension is not yet being collected, a separate ERR form must also be filed simultaneously.
Future Adjustments and Automatic Increases
Starting January 1, 2027, the supplementary benefit rate will increase from 15 percent to 25 percent. This adjustment will be applied automatically by ZUS without requiring new applications from beneficiaries.
Conditions for Denial
Benefits will be denied if widowhood occurred before age 55 for women or age 60 for men. Eligibility is also lost in cases of divorce, court-ordered separation, or remarriage. Applicants must also meet the statutory retirement age to qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligible candidates for 2026 must meet age and marital requirements at the time of the spouse’s death. ZUS requires the filing of the ERWD form to combine benefits, provided the recipient has reached the legal retirement age.