Can HOF keep my Mum's pension lump sum from her estate?

jem16

jamesd wrote: »

No problem to try to get all money that is supposed to be available. That's what an executor is expected to do.

No mention of the OP being the executor of the estate though. No mention that there is even a will. No mention of a nomination form either. Just a request to have a lump sum paid which has been confirmed - but exactly what has been confirmed?

Most of what has been posted seems to make no sense and I wonder if there is more to this than is being told, such as another partner.

jamesd

As a widow with no spouse it seems most likely that it's executor or beneficiary checking to see that all is being handled as it should.

I suppose there could be a civil partner rather than a spouse who might receive the monthly payments and a potential dispute between that person and whoever else might have received benefits from her estate if a lump sum had been paid prior to death.

If so, I'm content to suggest how each should act in their best interests if both happen show up here.

le_loup

All pretty pointless now as the OP has gone off in a huff not having heard what they wanted to hear.

FatherAbraham

xylophone wrote: »

This is utterly mystifying.

It's not that mystifying.

First HoF was working on processing a member benefit (lump-sum payment because of short life expectancy).

Before that could be completed, the member died, so the process stopped. The member no longer exists, and presumably the scheme rules on survivor benefits now apply.

HoF starts working on the survivor benefits procedure -- first question from them would be "is there a spouse to whom the benefits should be paid?". After all HoF can't automatically know that there wasn't a deathbed marriage ceremony which is hasn't yet been informed of.

Asking "is there a spouse?" is the first part of "preparing to pay benefits to spouse". This process may terminate will the finding that there is no spouse, and therefore the scheme has fulfilled all its promises to the member, according to the scheme rules. The pension ends.

Warmest regards,
FA

xylophone

It's not that mystifying.

But the Administrator has been advised that she was a widow!

And yet (apparently)

HOF are completely ignoring her expressed wish and are now beginning to arrange to have her monthly pension paid to her spouse!

Still mystified!

jamesd

A widow can have no spouse - husband or wife, narrowly defined - but a civil partner who may be eligible for income on death. Can also be other parties who might be eligible for a payment, like financial dependants that they may have to check for. Or it may be that they we try to arrange payment to a party who doesn't exist, then declare that they have to pay nobody.

None of this matters greatly since we know that her wish was for a lump sum and that bigell is trying to get that wish fulfilled.

If the hypothetical civil partner or other beneficiary shows up here we get to help them oppose bigell, giving each the best guidance we can, though I would be inclined to mention to them that she had clearly expressed her wish for a lump sum and that it seems most appropriate to try to achieve that result.