At 64 years old, Mercedes no longer carries out any professional activity and lives exclusively on her husband’s widow’s pension, which is around 1,600 euros per month. With more time available, she decided to dedicate herself to an area that has always fascinated her: genealogical research, focused on the history of families and ancestors.
Several times a year, usually three, he travels to the province of Almería to consult historical archives and parish records. It is in these documents that he looks for traces of the past, such as old baptism, marriage and death certificates. According to the Spanish digital newspaper Noticias Trabajo, these trips have no financial objective. They are just an activity done out of personal taste, which occupies your days and helps you stay active.
Career marked by interruptions
Throughout her life, Mercedes has worked in different professional areas. He worked in quality control for an automotive company and, later, in customer service for a telecommunications operator.
However, the birth of his children ended up halting his professional career. He explains to the Spanish publication that he had to “leave work for them”, a decision common to his generation.
Currently, he is not considering returning to the job market. “Now I want to live what I have left, dedicated to my hobby”, he says. Even so, he hopes that the few years of deductions made will allow him, within a few months, to have access to his own contributory pension, albeit of a reduced value, that will complement the widow’s pension.
In Spain, access to a contributory retirement pension requires a minimum of 15 years of contributions, two of which must be included in the 15 years prior to legal retirement age.
In 2025, the minimum contributory pension is set at 874 euros per month for beneficiaries without a dependent spouse, rising to 1,127 euros when there is a dependent spouse. The non-contributory pension, awarded to those who do not meet the necessary deductions, is around 565 euros per month.
Financial dependence and aging
Despite acknowledging that she lives with some peace of mind, Mercedes admits that her economic stability essentially depends on her husband’s pension. A reality that, she emphasizes, is common among women her age, many of whom have had interrupted or discontinuous careers. “I receive the widow’s pension and, as far as possible, it’s fine. There are much lower pensions than mine”, he acknowledges.
The Spanish woman also reflects on the functioning of the pension system and the role of the younger generations. “It has always been young people who pay the pensions of older people. We work so that others receive it”, he states, admitting that the future could be more difficult for those entering the job market now. He also feels the impact of inflation and considers that the transition from the peseta to the euro has profoundly changed the cost of living.
As mentioned by , between travels, files and old documents, Mercedes found a way to organize her days according to her interests, mirroring the situation of many women who reached retirement age with limited rights of their own and a strong dependence on survivors’ pensions.
Similar reality in Portugal
Similar cases are also common in Portugal. Several studies on gender inequality indicate that many women interrupt their professional careers to take care of children or family members, work more frequently part-time and accumulate fewer years of Social Security contributions. This path later translates into lower old-age pensions.
Although there are mechanisms such as survivors’ pensions and other social benefits, the amounts awarded do not always compensate for the loss of income associated with incomplete contributory careers.
As a consequence, many women end up depending mainly on their deceased spouse’s pension, reproducing a social pattern similar to that observed in Spain, especially among older generations.
Also read:
