Withdrawing money held in various accounts: housing provident fund balance, social insurance benefits, and work‑related death benefits

There is no monetary cost, but you must visit several offices. Before you go, make sure you have a death certificate and proof of familial relationship ready.

The balance of the Housing Provident Fund account (the remaining money in the provident fund account) can be withdrawn by heirs or legatees. A legatee refers to the person named in a will to receive assets. In the event of death due to work-related causes, there are three additional payments: a funeral allowance, a dependency pension, and a one-time work-related death subsidy. The money remaining in the individual account of the endowment insurance is explicitly stated as inheritable under the Social Insurance Law. For those participating in employee endowment insurance who die due to illness or non-work-related causes, family members are also entitled to a funeral allowance and a pension, collectively known as survivor benefits. The standard for enterprise employees is unified nationwide. The funeral allowance is 2 times the average monthly disposable income of urban residents in the province during the previous year. The survivor's pension is calculated based on this month's income, paid for 3 to 24 months according to the years of contribution: less than 5 years and 3 months, 5 to 10 years and 6 months, 10 to 15 years and 9 months; for every additional 1 years above 15 years, 1 months will be added, up to a maximum of 24 months. For those already retired, the amount will be reduced by 1 months for every 1 years of pension received, with a minimum of 9 months.

国务院 (2026). 住房公积金管理条例（国务院令第 844 号修改，2026 年 9 月 20 日起施行）第二十四条末款. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/2026/issue_12946/202608/content_7079363.html：「职工死亡或者被宣告死亡的，职工的继承人、受遗赠人可以提取职工住房公积金账户内的存储余额；无继承人也无受遗赠人的，职工住房公积金账户内的存储余额纳入住房公积金的增值收益。」；工伤保险条例第三十九条的三笔待遇见第 19 节. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2011/content_1778064.htm；全国人大常委会 (2018 修正). 社会保险法（第十四、十七条）：「个人死亡的，个人账户余额可以继承」「参加基本养老保险的个人，因病或者非因工死亡的，其遗属可以领取丧葬补助金和抚恤金」. https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8080816f135f46016f210989b9179a（国家法律法规数据库）；人力资源社会保障部、财政部 (2021). 企业职工基本养老保险遗属待遇暂行办法（人社部发〔2021〕18 号，2021 年 9 月 1 日起施行，第四、五条），原件未公开挂网，条文按广州市花都区人民政府行政复议决定书（花都府行复〔2022〕226 号）的逐字引用核对：「丧葬补助金的标准，按照参保人员死亡时本省……上一年度城镇居民月人均可支配收入的2倍计算」「缴费年限不满5年的，发放月数为3个月……缴费年限30年以上的，按照30年计算，发放月数最高为24个月」. https://www.huadu.gov.cn/xxgk/xzfy/content/post_8672730.html；福建省人力资源和社会保障厅. 常见问题：「每领取1年基本养老金减少1个月，发放月数最低为9个月」「累计缴费年限不足5年的，其遗属待遇（含丧葬补助金和抚恤金）标准不得超过其个人缴费之和」. http://rst.fujian.gov.cn/wz/cjwt/czzgly/202311/t20231113_6294929.htm

The housing provident fund is the most frequently forgotten because it is not in a bank account and will not automatically enter the estate distribution. The remaining funds in the pension insurance individual account and the survivor benefits are calculated and processed separately; you must go to the social security service window in the place of insurance registration to handle them together. Required materials vary by region. For those who have contributed for less than 5 years, the total survivor benefits shall not exceed the amount they personally contributed. This formula is derived from the methods for enterprise employee pension insurance; for survivor benefits regarding government agencies, public institutions, and urban/rural resident pension insurance, please inquire at the service window. For requirements regarding wills and forms of inheritance, see section 17.