Orphan’s pensions granted in the Americas

Countries in the continent grant a survivor pension to orphans. The amount given may depend on the number of survivors and whether the children are healthy, disabled or complete orphans. Every country has a common tendency towards limiting the total survivor pension (including the widow) granted to the deceased’s family. This pension cannot exceed either the average income of the dead worker or the value of the pension received at the moment of death. Two countries establish a fixed amount paid to every orphan, in the Bahamas they receive approximately $125 US dollars monthly. In Canada, the amount varies if the deceased was insured in the Canada Pension Plan in which case each orphan receives approximately $185 US dollars a month, or in the Quebec pension plan, receiving approximately $65 US dollars monthly. The following graph presents the different amounts paid to orphans as a percentage of the deceased’s old-age pension in case of one dependent surviving child.