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LinkedinPublication: 25 August 2023 Latest update: 28 August 2023
What is it?
Children of legal age who are dependent on a deceased pensioner or insured person are entitled to a share of the survivor's pension or indirect pension:
- if they continue their studies;
- if they are not financially self-sufficient.
The right is maintained until the age of 21, if they are registered:
- at an upper secondary school;
- at professional qualification courses.
The right is extended for the entire legal duration of the degree or higher education course, up to the twenty-sixth year of age.
Children who receive these shares must annually issue a substitute statement with the necessary information on the course of study and any work activities carried out. They are also obliged to communicate any changes through the same service.
More details are contained in INPS circular no. 185 of 18 November 2015, and in messages no. 2758 of 21 June 2016 and no. 4413 of 7 November 2017.
Who is it aimed at?
The service is aimed at adult children of legal age and equivalent:
- students in Italy;
- holders of a share of a survivor's pension;
- dependent on a pensioner or insured at the time of death.
If they are employed, the right is maintained if the relative salary is lower than the minimum annual pension provided for by the compulsory general insurance, increased by 30% and adjusted to the period of employment.
The following are equivalent to children:
- adopted children of the deceased worker;
- recognised or judicially declared children of the deceased;
- children not recognisable by the deceased for whom the latter was obliged to provide maintenance or support by virtue of a judgment, in the cases provided for by art. 279 of the Italian Civil Code;
- children not recognisable by the deceased who, in the succession of the parent, have obtained recognition of the right to the lifetime allowance, pursuant to Articles 580 and 594 of the Italian Civil Code;
- children born from the previous marriage of the spouse of the deceased;
- children recognised, or judicially declared, by the spouse of the deceased.
How does it work?
The substitute declaration of certification (pursuant to Presidential Decree 445/2000) must be completed online each year by the children of legal age, holders of survivor's pension, before the end of the annual course of study.
The annual deadline for secondary school students is set at 31 August, with the exception of the last year of the course, for which the deadline is 31 July.
The same deadline of 31 August also applies to university and higher education students, and the shares are normally paid until 31 October of the last year of the course of study.
STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD
To obtain the extension, the student studying abroad can submit the substitute declaration for any work activities at the competent INPS office.
For the course of study, specific documentation must be delivered:
- if they are enrolled in a secondary school, the declaration of correspondence in Italy of the course of study attended abroad issued by the regional school offices of the Ministry of Education and Merit is required, together with the certificate of enrolment with related translation (pursuant to Article 33 of Presidential Decree 445/2000);
- if they are enrolled in a university-level study course (AFAM and other higher education courses), it is necessary to submit the documentation requested by the Ministry of University and Research specified on the Ministry's website, together with the certificate of enrolment with related translation (pursuant to Article 33 of Presidential Decree 445/2000), for sending to the Ministry, limited to the first verification of the validity of the course of study attended.