Inherited Pension query

alfapersius

Hi,

my father had a pension with a major supermarket chain, when he passed away his benefits passed on to my mother and she has received regular pension payments from them. Unfortunately, she has now also passed away. What normally happens in this situation? Is that it, there are no further payments made or is it likely they will pay anything further out?

We have contacted the pension provider put was after input from the hive mind while we await a response as so often seems the case there is a slow response to this!

thanks

tacpot12

Normally the pension would stop unless there was a dependent child left behind. Scheme rules often mention that children even upto 23 years old might be regarded as dependent if they are in full-time education. Your father's scheme will reply eventually, and if they are willing to pay a further pension, the recepient can reasonably expect that it would be backdated to your mother's death. The most important issue the trustees will use in their decision is whether the person that your father and mother have been supporting would not be able to manage financially without the pension.   

Marcon

alfapersius said:

Hi,

my father had a pension with a major supermarket chain, when he passed away his benefits passed on to my mother and she has received regular pension payments from them. Unfortunately, she has now also passed away. What normally happens in this situation? Is that it, there are no further payments made or is it likely they will pay anything further out?

We have contacted the pension provider put was after input from the hive mind while we await a response as so often seems the case there is a slow response to this!

thanks

If your father was in a defined benefit (typically aka final salary) scheme, then there will be no further payments after the death of your mother.

If it was a defined contribution scheme (aka money purchase), and he used his pension savings to buy an annuity with a spouse's pension attached, then again the death of your mother will mean that payments end.

From the description you've given ('my father had a pension with a major supermarket chain, when he passed away his benefits passed on to my mother and she has received regular pension payments from them') it sounds as if one or other of the above statements is likely to be correct.