Death capital paid in respect of the death of an official

Verified 01 April 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The rights-holders of an official who has died in active employment shall be entitled, subject to conditions, to a benefit called death capital. The amount varies depending on whether the official dies before or after the minimum retirement age. Rights holders must apply to the employer's administration of the deceased official.

The deceased was to be in one of the following situations at the time of death:

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Deceased with children

Deceased married or past

The death capital shall be paid to the following persons:

  • For 1/3 to the unseparated spouse or Civil partnership partner for 2 years
  • For 2/3 to the official's children, with sharing between the children if necessary

To be entitled to death capital, children must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Be under the age of 21 or be recognized as disabled on the day of death
  • And not be taxable for income tax purposes
Other case

Children receive the entire death grant.

To be entitled to death capital, children must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Be under the age of 21 or be recognized as disabled on the day of death
  • And not be taxable for income tax purposes

Dead without children

Deceased married or past

The Civil partnership or partner receives the entire death capital.

Other case

The capital shall be paid to ascendants at the expense of the official at the time of his death. These people should not be taxable on income.

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2022 military death

  • If the deceased person was military, the amount of the death benefit corresponds to the member's last annual gross remuneration (salary corresponding to the index held by the member on the day of his death).
    Example: In the event of a death in February 2022, the death benefit will be equal to the member's remuneration from February 2021 to January 2022.
  • If the deceased was in the military, was at least 62 years old and had not yet retired, the amount of the death benefit is one-quarter of the last annual gross remuneration.

Death of an official or non-member of staff since 1 January 2021

  • If the deceased was a permanent civil servant, the amount of the death benefit corresponds to his last annual gross remuneration, including ancillary allowances (salary corresponding to the index held by the civil servant on the day of his death).
    Example: In the event of a death in February 2021, the death capital will be equal to the remuneration received by the incumbent from February 2020 to January 2021.
  • If the deceased was a full-time civil servant, was at least 62 years old and had not yet retired, the amount of the deceased's death benefit is one-quarter of the last annual gross remuneration.
  • If the deceased person was a non-permanent official of the State or of a public body affiliated to the supplementary pension organization (Ircantec), the amount of the death capital corresponds to the gain received in the last 12 months preceding the date of death.
    Example: in the event of a death in February 2021, the death capital will be equal to the gains received between 1er February 2020 and January 31, 2021. The amount of the death capital provided by the general social security scheme (with exceptions) will be deducted from this capital.

Death before 2021

Death after minimum retirement age

Death capital is equal to €3,539.

There is no extra charge for children.

Death before minimum retirement age

Death capital is equal to €13,888.

However, in the event of an accident in service or occupational disease, the death capital shall be equal to 12 times the amount of the deceased's last monthly gross index salary. It shall be paid for three consecutive years, up to the same amount, in the event of the death of the official as a result of:

  • an attack or a struggle in the exercise of his duties.
  • or an act of dedication in the public interest or to save the life of one or more persons.

The 1er payment shall be made on the death of the official and the other two on the anniversary of the event which caused the death.

Each child who receives the death benefit receives an additional amount of €862.53.

Rights holders must submit an application for death capital to the employer’s administration of the deceased official.

They must provide documents proving that they can collect the death capital.

It is recommended for rights-holders to approach the administration of the deceased official to obtain a list of documents to be provided.