trustees of a pension scheme

oakview

I have just found out I am a named trustee of my late husbands pension scheme.The scheme was sent up while married and we owned a company together.My ex husband died with out making a will,all of his estate is to go to our four children but my daughter has given me the idea that I may be one of the named beneficiaries regarding the pension.does anyone know if a pension scheme has to have named benficiaries or are they automately next to kin.Any help gratefully received

mountainofdebt

as I have my own qery re death & pensions!

One thing that does strike me as odd re your post is why, if your hubby didn't make a will, why his estate is going to your 4 children.....surely the rules of intestacy apply here and you will get a sum from it????

I seem to remember though that when you set up a pension, you can nominate who will receive any payment (death in service payments etc) and whilst not entirely binding, the trustees of the scheme usually abide by this wish. So theoretically it doesn't have to be the next of kin who is named but would be very interesting if it wasn't!!!!!

However if the deceased didn't nominate anyone then I think the money would go into the pot to be divided up as per the will or in this case intestacy rules

To be honest I think you are getting confused (and I don't mean to be rude or anything here, honest!) by terminology. A trustee of a pension scheme basically is responsible for the financial running of the scheme (see here : http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1074464001) and I strongly suspect you would have known if you were before now. It sounds as if you were named as a beneficiary (as detailed above) and this is why your daughter things you will receive something.

hth