The funeral benefit from ZUS will amount to 7000 PLN starting January 1, 2026 (for earlier deaths, it is 4000 PLN), and this article explains eligibility, how to fill out form Z-12, required documents, application submission procedures (including from abroad), and important considerations, with a deadline of 12 months from the date of death.
The family pension from ZUS is a benefit for the family of a deceased person, explaining who is entitled (children, widow or widower, parents), until when a studying child receives it, how much it amounts to (85, 90, or 95 percent, one total pension divided equally), how to fill out the ERR application, how to earn additional income without losing the benefit, and how the pension relates to the 13th and 14th pensions, aimed at the Polish diaspora and referencing regulations.
Obszerne, praktyczne FAQ o ZUS aktualne na 2026 rok: konto na PUE oraz eZUS i profil zaufany, emerytury, renty i zasiłki, świadczenia po śmierci, składki przedsiębiorców oraz ważny dla Polonii dział o obsłudze spraw z zagranicy. Każda odpowiedź jest zwięzła i konkretna, z zastrzeżeniem, że część kwot jest co roku waloryzowana, więc najnowsze wartości warto potwierdzić na zus.pl.
A practical step-by-step guide through the first hours, days, and weeks after the death of a loved one: from the declaration of death and death certificate, through registration at USC and death record, funeral and funeral benefit (7,000 PLN from 2026), to notifications to ZUS, banks, and inheritance matters, including deadlines for 2026, a table of whom to notify, a comprehensive checklist, and a separate section for the Polish diaspora.
A will allows you to independently decide the fate of your assets and secure your loved ones; we explain the types of wills (holographic, notarial, allographic), three conditions for the validity of a holographic will, the difference between a regular bequest and a testamentary bequest, disinheritance and forced heirship, where to store a will, and considerations when drafting it, along with a list of common mistakes and tips for the Polish diaspora.
A list of offices and formalities when returning to Poland after years abroad — registration, ZUS, NFZ, tax office, driver's license.
How to create a valid power of attorney for someone in Poland: consulate vs American notary + apostille, formulas, costs.
Inheritance from a relative in PL/USA — which law applies, taxes, court procedures, how to accept/reject.
How to apply for a Polish pension from the USA, UK, Germany — EMP forms, documents, totalization agreements, contacting ZUS through the consulate, PUE ZUS, payments to foreign accounts.
Recognition of foreign education in Poland — when it's needed, where to apply, how long it takes, and costs in 2026.
Returning to Poland after years abroad — customs exemption (resettlement property), limits, documents, car, jewelry, cash.
Step-by-step procedure: required documents, where to send them, deadlines, benefits for the deceased (funeral allowance, family pension).