Article 24 of the Saudi Military Retirement Law
المادة 24 من نظام التقاعد العسكري
Male beneficiaries' pensions end at 21 (except students and the disabled); females' pensions stop on marriage and return on divorce or widowhood; rules on combining pension with salary or other pensions and on suspended shares.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ ) يقطع المعاش المستحق للذكور من الأولاد وأولاد الابن والإخوة إذا بلغوا سن الواحدة والعشرين واستثناء مما تقدم يستمر المعاش بالنسبة لهؤلاء المستحقين في الأحوال الآتية:
1 ) إذا كان المستحق طالبًا في إحدى المدارس الثانوية أو العالية أو ما يناظرها المعترف بها بشرط أن يكون الطالب منتظمًا في دراسته فيؤدى له المعاش حتى بلوغه سن السادسة والعشرين أو تخرجه أيهما أقرب.
2 ) إذا كان مصابًا بعجز صحي كامل يمنعه من الكسب، وثبت ذلك بقرار من الهيئة الطبية المختصة، وذلك إلى أن يزول العجز.
ب ) اعتبارًا من تاريخ عقد الزواج يوقف معاش الزوجة والبنت وبنت الابن والأخت إذا تزوجن، والأم إذا تزوجت من غير والد المتوفى ويعاد الاستحقاق لصاحبته إذا طُلقت أو ترملت، فإذا كانت المستحقة التي طُلقت متزوجة وقت وفاة صاحب المعاش فيعاد توزيع المعاش بافتراض استحقاقها وقت الوفاة.
جـ ) يقف صرف المعاش عن صاحب المعاش أو المستحقين إذا عين أو عينوا في وظائف ثابتة في الحكومة أو كانوا معينين فيها كذلك عند وفاة صاحب المعاش، بشرط أن يكون راتب الموظف معادلا للمعاش أو زائدًا عليه، فإذا نقص الراتب عما يستحقه من معاش أُدي إليه الفرق على أنه يجوز له الجمع بينهما ما يستحقه من المعاش وراتبه الشهري إذا لم يزد مجموعهما عن (400) ريال، فإذا زاد عن هذا الحد فينقص المعاش بقدر تلك الزيادة.
د ) لا يجوز لأي مستحق الحصول على أكثر من معاش فإذا استحق شخص واحد أكثر من معاش بموجب هذا النظام أو أنظمة التقاعد الأخرى أُدي إليه المعاش الأكبر على أنه يجوز الجمع بين معاشين أو أكثر إذا لم يزد مجموعهما عن (300) ريال شهريًّا فإذا زاد المجموع عن هذا القدر ربط المعاش الأخير بالقدر الذي يكمل المجموع المذكور.
وتسري هذه الأحكام على صاحب المعاش الذي يكون مستحقًّا عن صاحب معاش آخر.
هـ ) إذا سقط أو أوقف نصيب أحد المستحقين لأي سبب كان فلا يؤدى إلى باقي المستحقين، وإنما يصبح حقًّا للصندوق على أن لا يقل نصيب من بقي منهم في جميع الحالات عن (50% ) من معاش صاحب المعاش، فإذا قل عن هذا القدر فيكمل للباقين بقدر هذه النسبة ويُعاد توزيعه عليهم بعدد رؤوسهم، فإذا عاد نصيب المستحق الموقوف فيعاد توزيع المعاش على المستحقين الموجودين كما لو لم يوقف ذلك النصيب.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 24 explained in plain English
This is a detailed article that governs the continuation and suspension of pensions for beneficiaries, with five paragraphs:
(a) Males: the pension of sons, sons of a son, and brothers is cut off upon reaching 21, and as an exception it continues:
- For a regular student at a secondary or higher school or a recognized equivalent, until he reaches 26 or graduates, whichever is earlier.
- For a person with a complete health disability that prevents him from earning, by decision of the competent medical body, until the disability ends.
(b) Females: the pension of a wife, daughter, daughter of a son, and sister is suspended from the date of the marriage contract, and so is that of a mother who marries someone other than the deceased's father. Entitlement returns if she is divorced or widowed. If a divorced woman was married at the time of the pensioner's death, the pension is redistributed on the assumption that she was entitled at the time of death.
(c) Government employment: the pension is suspended if the pensioner or beneficiary is appointed to a permanent government post with a salary equal to or greater than the pension. If the salary is less, the difference is paid. The two may be combined if the total does not exceed SAR 400; if it does, the pension is reduced by the excess.
(d) Multiple pensions: a beneficiary receives only the larger pension, and the two may be combined if the total does not exceed SAR 300 per month. This applies to a pensioner who is also a beneficiary of another pensioner.
(e) Suspended shares: if the share of one of the beneficiaries lapses or is suspended, it is not returned to the others but becomes a right of the Fund, provided that the others' share is not less than 50% of the pensioner's pension; otherwise it is topped up for them and divided per capita. If a suspended share returns, the distribution is redone as if it had never been suspended.
This article follows Article 23 bis on the missing pensioner. Because its application varies with each family's circumstances, one may consult a lawyer who specializes in personal status or administrative cases.
Practical example
A military retiree dies leaving a 22-year-old son who is a regular university student and a daughter. Under this article, the son's pension continues until he reaches 26 or graduates, whichever is earlier, and the daughter's pension is suspended from the date of her marriage contract and returns to her if she is divorced or widowed.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 24 of the Saudi Military Retirement Law
When does the pension of a military retiree's son end?
It ends at 21, unless he is a regular student, in which case it continues until 26 or graduation, whichever is earlier, or he has a complete health disability that prevents him from earning, in which case it continues until the disability ends.
Is a daughter's pension suspended if she marries?
Yes. A daughter's pension is suspended from the date of the marriage contract, and entitlement returns if she is divorced or widowed.
Can two retirement pensions be combined?
A beneficiary receives only the larger pension, and the two may be combined if their total does not exceed SAR 300 per month.
What happens to a beneficiary's share if it is suspended?
It becomes a right of the Fund and is not returned to the other beneficiaries, provided that the others' share is not less than 50% of the pensioner's pension.
More articles on Beneficiaries of a Pensioner
- Article 23 bisAmended (1442 AH)
A pensioner whose disappearance is established by a final court judgment is treated as deceased, for beneficiaries' rights, from the date of disappearance; the pension is not stopped before the judgment, and rights are re-settled if he is found alive.
تتعامل المؤسسة مع صاحب المعاش المفقود وفق الأحكام الآتية: أ- يعامل صاحب المعاش الذي ثبت فقده بحكم قضائي نهائي - فيما يتعلق بالحقوق التقاعدية للمستحقين - معاملة
- Article 25
The age of beneficiaries of a retirement pension is determined by the birth certificate or the civil status record of their father.
يعتمد في تقدير سن المستحقين المعاش التقاعدي على شهادة الميلاد أو حفيظة نفوس والدهم.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.