Recieving a pension after someone has passed away

Tigerelle

My father had a £20,000 pension that was passed down to my mum when he passed away last august, my mum had the choice to have it all paid in 1 go, to be paid yearly or to be paid monthly, she chose the option of being paid £50 a month for the rest of her life.

The paperwork said this would end when she passed away, unfortunatly mum passed away then four months later and even though the £50 is still going into her bank, I'm too scared to find out if I am entitled to this money as I am the next of kin to my mum.

I think it would be unfair otherwise for the pension to have finished just 4 months into it.

atush

If it had no Guarantees attached (some will pay out for a min of say 5 years), it has in fact ended and as far as I am aware you are not entitled to this money and must inform the company that she has passed.

antonic

My dad gets 2 Occupational Pensions (RAF & British Aerospace) and his state pension - when he dies I will get NADA, which I think is fine ! - my stepmum will get something from BAE & State Pension but nothing from the RAF, as she wasnt married to my dad when he started drawing it.

Tigerelle wrote: »

My father had a £20,000 pension that was passed down to my mum when he passed away last august, my mum had the choice to have it all paid in 1 go, to be paid yearly or to be paid monthly, she chose the option of being paid £50 a month for the rest of her life.

The paperwork said this would end when she passed away, unfortunatly mum passed away then four months later and even though the £50 is still going into her bank, I'm too scared to find out if I am entitled to this money as I am the next of kin to my mum.

I think it would be unfair otherwise for the pension to have finished just 4 months into it.

BobQ

Tigerelle wrote: »

My father had a £20,000 pension that was passed down to my mum when he passed away last august, my mum had the choice to have it all paid in 1 go, to be paid yearly or to be paid monthly, she chose the option of being paid £50 a month for the rest of her life.

The paperwork said this would end when she passed away, unfortunatly mum passed away then four months later and even though the £50 is still going into her bank, I'm too scared to find out if I am entitled to this money as I am the next of kin to my mum.

I think it would be unfair otherwise for the pension to have finished just 4 months into it.

If the money is going into your late mother's account, whoever is dealing with her affairs (executor of a will, letters of administration) is obliged to inform the pension provider and her bank that she has died. Either way you are not legally entitled to spend a pension paid to someone who is dead.

Whether her estate is entitled to a lump sum payment from the pension depends on the terms of the pension as stated above. Either way you will never know until you ask and if you were to draw the money from her account this would be fraud so best not go there.

I can see why you might think it unfair that she took the pension and received it for such a short time, but equally she could have lived a long time and got much more than the lump sum she was offered. That is the gamble she took when she made the decision.

xylophone

Your mother's bank should have been advised of her death as should her pension provider.

JohnB47

Tigerelle wrote: »

My father had a £20,000 pension that was passed down to my mum when he passed away last august, my mum had the choice to have it all paid in 1 go, to be paid yearly or to be paid monthly, she chose the option of being paid £50 a month for the rest of her life.

The paperwork said this would end when she passed away, unfortunatly mum passed away then four months later and even though the £50 is still going into her bank, I'm too scared to find out if I am entitled to this money as I am the next of kin to my mum.

I think it would be unfair otherwise for the pension to have finished just 4 months into it.

I can't add anything other to say that I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

Good luck.