How Do I Check My Late Father’s Pension?

How Do I Check My Late Father’s Pension?

A pension plan is established by an employer or government agency to provide regular income after retirement. Many of these plans also offer survivor benefits, allowing remaining funds to be distributed to a spouse, child, or designated beneficiary after the pension holder’s death.

If a pension fund remains unclaimed, the funds are typically placed in an Unclaimed Benefits Fund while awaiting a claim. Unclaimed benefits refer to situations where both the reason for a member’s departure from the fund and their last day of service are known.

In South Africa, when a parent passes away, their next of kin, spouse, or children are entitled to claim the pension benefits, provided they possess the necessary credentials, including passwords. According to the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) rules, benefits will not be disbursed to the member or beneficiary within 24 months of the last day of service, as per the fund’s regulations.

To verify unclaimed benefits, you can reach out to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), which oversees market conduct regulation and supervision and provides access to a central database for confirming unclaimed benefits.

Why Do Benefits Become Unclaimed?

Benefits may be classified as unclaimed for several reasons, including;

• Benefits may become unclaimed due to incomplete or incorrect exit documents (such as unsubmitted or erroneous Z102 forms)
• Issues obtaining a tax directive from SARS related to unresolved tax matters
• Returned payments caused by incorrect banking details or dormant accounts,
• Insufficient information regarding the deceased member’s spouse(s) or beneficiaries is needed for claims processing.

Who Qualifies To Claim Unclaimed Benefits?

The following individuals are eligible to claim unclaimed benefits:

• Retired GEPF members and those no longer in service.
• Beneficiaries of GEPF members who are deceased or no longer in service.
• Guardians of the beneficiaries of GEPF members.

How To Access Unclaimed Benefits

The following are required to claim your late father’s pension;

If the applicant is a member or spouse, the following documents are required to claim unclaimed benefits:

• A completed Banking Details form (Z894)
• A certified copy of the applicant’s ID (issued within the last six months)
• An updated personal details form (Z864)

If the applicant is a beneficiary, the following documents are needed to claim unclaimed benefits:

• The member’s death certificate
• A certified copy of the beneficiary’s ID (issued within the last six months)
• A completed Banking Details form (Z894)
• A guardian letter in the case of minor beneficiaries
• A certified copy of the guardian’s ID (issued within the last six months).

Contact GEPF

• Toll-free number: 0800 117 669
• Fax: 012 326 2507
• Email: enquiries@gepf.co.za

Postal Address: GEPF

• Private Bag X63,
• Pretoria,
• 0001

For more information visit the official website of the Government Employees Pension Fund. I hope the provided information is helpful, share your thoughts below in the comment section.