Contemporary design of the widow and widower pensions in the Czech Republic does not reflect modern social conditions. Adjustments of the institute conducted did not respond to changes in employment rate of women, divorce rate and marriage rate during the last few decades. Hence the article identifies trends in European pension politics with respect to this area and brings suggestions for the reform of the institute. Author specifies possible reform of the Czech widow and widower pensions and brings both: microeconomic and macroeconomic quantification of effects of such reforms.