Sending a question about pensions and social insurance allowances, Ms. Nguyen Thi Vong (Son Tay ward, Hanoi) said: "I have received a combined payment of 2 months of pension before the Lunar New Year, along with Tet gifts from the Party and the State for retirees. This amount of money has supported me a lot during this Tet holiday. But after receiving the payment, I will use it to take care of Tet for my family. I heard that my pension may be recovered. So in what case will I be recovered?
Regarding this issue, Vietnam Social Security answers as follows:
According to legal regulations on social insurance, the social insurance agency implements monthly payment of regimes, including: pensions, social insurance allowances and monthly allowances; and at the same time recovers the amount paid for some cases to ensure payment to the right person, in accordance with regulations and in accordance with legal regulations.
Accordingly, the rights of relatives when a person enjoying the regime dies are as follows:
When a person receiving a pension, social insurance allowance or monthly allowance dies (excluding a person receiving a monthly death gratuity), relatives are entitled to death benefits according to regulations, including: Funeral allowance; Monthly or one-time death gratuity; Issuance of health insurance cards to eligible relatives.
In case the employee does not meet the conditions to receive a pension and is not old enough to receive social pension benefits but dies, the relatives are entitled to a one-time allowance for the time the employee has not received it.
Regarding the recovery of benefits that are not in accordance with regulations when paying the combined 2 months of Tet Nguyen Dan 2026, Vietnam Social Security said: Implementing Directive 36/CT-TTg dated December 31, 2025 of the Prime Minister, the Social Insurance agency has organized the combined payment of pensions and social insurance allowances for February and March 2026 in the same payment period of February 2026 to create conditions for people enjoying Spring and welcoming Tet.
Vietnam Social Security also pointed out that the combined payment of 2 months may arise in some of the following cases:
The first is the case where the beneficiary dies in February 2026:
The Social Insurance Agency will recover the paid amount from the month immediately following the month the beneficiary passed away (recovering the benefit money from March 2026).
The second is the case where the beneficiary has passed away before February 2026 but the relatives have not yet reported the reduction or have not completed the liên thông procedure for death registration. In this case, the social insurance agency shall recover the amount paid from the month immediately following the month the beneficiary passed away (including February and March 2026 if they have received it).
The recovery in the above cases is carried out in accordance with the provisions of law, in order to ensure the correct payment to the right beneficiaries, the correct benefit period and ensure transparency and discipline in the management of the social insurance fund; not affecting the legitimate rights of beneficiaries and relatives as prescribed.
Flexible and convenient organization of pension and social insurance allowance payments for beneficiaries
Currently, the whole country has more than 3.5 million beneficiaries receiving monthly pensions and social insurance allowances through 3 flexible payment forms, suitable for each beneficiary's conditions, including:
- Payment via personal account: Completed no later than the end of the 5th day of each month.
- Cash payment: from February 2nd to October 10th of each month at payment points; from November 11th to the end of the 25th of each month at the Post Office transaction point.
- Payment at the place of residence: Applicable to people aged 80 and over or people who are sick or ill and cannot directly receive money.
The organization of payment is carried out to ensure publicity and transparency, creating maximum favorable conditions for beneficiaries.
