DEATH OF A PARTNER AND OLD AGE SECURITY

<ns3:p>The death of a partner causes numerous negative consequences. This study focuses on the financial implications analyzed from the perspective of income security for the elderly. In the Polish social insurance system, several benefits play a role from this point of view: survivor pension, pension inheritance and (coming into force from 2025) widow’s pension. They differ in terms of the scope of the subject, the form and frequency of payment of the benefit, its amount and phase of payment, and the different financial effects depending on the moment of application. Using the method of descriptive analysis, both the discrepancies and controversies related to the design of each benefit and their actual significance from the point of view of the individual and the derivative pension of the surviving elderly partner will be pointed out. The overall conclusion boils down to the fact that the current regulations do not create a coherent and transparent system, which generates a huge asymmetry of information for the widowed partner and the need to revise the existing solutions.</ns3:p>