Should Pension Paid in the Month of Death be Returned?

What Happens to a Pension After the Death of the Holder?

When a retired person who receives a pension from Inps passes away, the Social Security Institute stops the pension payment.
According to the law, the death of the pensioner must be reported within 48 hours of the event.

Steps to Take After the Death of a Pension Holder

The first step to take after the death of an Inps pension holder is to notify the Social Security Institute.
The communication must be made within 48 hours to Inps.
The death can be reported in different ways, such as going to a patronage or using the dedicated space on the Inps website by logging in with Spid, Electronic Identity Card, or National Service Card.

Repayment of the Pension After Death

In the event of a pension holder’s death, the pension does not need to be repaid.
The pension for the month, even the one in which the death occurs, has already been calculated and paid.
Therefore, even if the pensioner passes away in the early days of the new month, the pension does not need to be repaid.

If the pensioner dies in the middle of the month or on the same day as the payment, the pension does not have to be returned to Inps, as the pension removal date coincides with the first day of the following month after the death.

When Does the Pension Need to be Repaid After Death?

There are cases where the pension of the deceased holder needs to be repaid.
This happens when the death occurs at the end of the month, during the period when the Institute calculates the new pension amount.
Inps will specify the specific cases where the pension must be repaid.
If the pension is received after the pensioner’s death (i.e., spanning across the month), it must be returned.

Calculation of Thirteenth and Fourteenth Pension Payments After Death

Throughout the year, the pensioner accrues the thirteenth and fourteenth payments.
Any accrued but unpaid amounts become part of the deceased’s estate, and only the heirs can request these funds after the death has been reported.
The request must be submitted to Inps using the specific form “Accrued and Unclaimed Payments,” which can be found here.
The application can be made by the surviving spouse, living children at the time of the pensioner’s death, or other legitimate or testamentary heirs in the absence of a spouse and children.