Home

Retirees

Retirees - Reporting Deaths to the Pension Fund

If a retiree or beneficiary dies, benefits may either continue unchanged, continue on a reduced basis, or stop altogether, depending on the situation and the type of benefit payment option selected at the time of retirement.

It's important to notify the Administrative Office as soon as practical following the death of a retiree, spouse, or beneficiary and you will be instructed how to proceed.  If a retiree, or spouse of a retiree dies, the Administrative Office will need a copy of the death certificate.  If there are pension benefits remaining, a certified copy of the death certificate will be needed.

A beneficiary need not return the pension payment for the month in which a retiree dies; however, if the beneficiary receives any payments for the months following the retiree's death, they will need to be returned or repaid to the Trust.

Your beneficiary designation should be kept up to date to be certain that benefits will be paid in accordance with your wishes.  Your spouse is automatically your beneficiary if you are married.  If you do not name a beneficiary on your Enrollment/Beneficiary Form, or if your named beneficiary does not survive you, the benefits will be paid in the following order: to your surviving spouse, children, parents, the beneficiaries named in your last will and testament if the will is admitted into probate within 90 days of the date of death.  No death benefits will be paid if you do not have any of the beneficiaries named above, and die without naming a beneficiary.

Top