This is how you take care of your dependants if you die before you retire
Of course, you hope to stay fit and well. Still, it is good to know that your children can get an orphan's pension if you die before your retirement date. Whether this has already been arranged and how much depends on your pension scheme. You can see this in MijnZwitserleven.
No orphan’s pension yet?
Your employer may also let you choose whether to arrange such a pension. This is called a voluntary cover. Your employer will deduct the additional premiums for this from your gross pay. This means that you will pay no tax on this.
What you need to know about voluntary cover
There are three things to consider when thinking about taking out voluntary cover.
- It is voluntary cover that you can choose if this cover is not already included in your pension scheme.
- You make your choice within 3 months of commencing your employment or of registering for the pension scheme with Zwitserleven. After that period, we may ask questions about your health to check whether you can be insured or possibly refuse coverage.
- In MijnZwitserleven, you can see what voluntary cover you can choose. You can easily opt in yourself here.
When to opt for orphan pension?
With this voluntary cover you will insure the orphan’s pension your child(ren) will receive if you die. In MijnZwitserleven you can find until when this is possible. What if both parents (caregivers) are deceased? Then the children will usually receive double the orphan’s pension
Pros
- Your children will each receive a monthly amount if you die before your agreed retirement date and they have not yet reached the age of maturity.
- This will partially make up for the loss of your income.
Cons
- You will pay the premium yourself through your employer.
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This is a risk insurance policy. This kind of insurance pays out only if you die before you retire. The cover will stop if
- you are still alive on your agreed retirement date;
- your child reaches the age of maturity stated in the pension scheme. -
Is your gross salary lower than the maximum salary for social security (€75,864 in 2025)? And do you become unemployed or occupational incapacitated? The premium for orphan's pension is deducted from your gross salary. The UWV calculates your benefit on the basis of your gross salary, which has been reduced by your premium for orphan's pension. As a result, you will receive a lower benefit from the UWV if you become unemployed or occupational incapacitated than if you had not opted for insurance of orphan's pension.
The fact that the premium for orphan's pension is deducted from your gross salary can actually be beneficial for rent-, healthcare - or childcare allowance. Whether this is also beneficial for you depends on your personal financial situation. On the website of the Belastingdienst (tax and customs administration) you can calculate whether you may receive allowances.
Is your gross salary higher than the maximum salary for social security? And even after deducting the premium for orphan's pension and any personal contribution for the pension scheme, will your gross salary still remain higher than the maximum salary for social security? Then the above consequences are not there.
May suit you if:
- You still have young children.
- Your children depend partly on your income.
- There are no other financial resources such as savings or insurance in case of death.
Probably suits you less if:
- You have no children.
- Your family lives mainly off the income of your partner, if you have one.
- There are already other financial resources such as savings or insurance in case of death.