When A Man Dies Does His Pension Go To The Wife

When A Man Dies Does His pension Go To The Wife

When a man passes away, one of the financial concerns is for his surviving spouse whether she is entitled to his pension or not. Pension benefits play an important role in providing the financial ability for the deceased family and many pension benefits see to it that the spouse is well taken care of after the pension holder’s death. The exact details depend on the type of pension plan and its arrangement of whether the spouse is entitled to spouse benefits.

Ways On How The Family Of The Deceased Can Access The Funeral Benefits

The Government Employee Pension Fund will only accept claims for funeral benefits from the deceased pensioner’s spouse, child, or the executor of the estate. No payment will be made to a funeral undertaker.

The person claiming the funeral benefits must submit the following documents

• A correct and completed Funeral Benefit Claim Z300 form.
• An original certified copy of the death certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs that is not older than six month
• A  certified copy not older than six months, of the green bar-coded identity document, passport, or birth certificate or in case of a minor child of the deceased if applicable
• An original certified copy not older than six months of the applicant’s green bar-coded identity document or passport
• A correct and completed Banking Particulars Z894 form. If this form is not completed and provided, the benefit will be paid via the Post Office

If the funeral benefit must be paid into a bank, the claim must be posted or hand-delivered to the GEPF. If the money is going to be paid into the Post Office, the claim must be faxed or emailed

Spouse Annuity

The spouse annuity is paid to a serving spouse, including an eligible life partner. If there is more than one eligible spouse, the annuity is shared equally among them. The spouse’s annuity is a lifelong monthly pension and is not affected by re-marriage

How To Access The Annuity

When a pensioner dies, the spouse will be required to fill in an application for spouse Pension Z143 form and submit it to the GEPF, alongside the following legal papers

• A certified copy not older than six months, of the green bar-coded identity document
• A certified copy not older than six months, of the pensioner’s green bar-coded identity document or passport and confirmation of death by the Department of Home Affairs
• A certified copy of the marriage certificate be it religious, customary union, or civil as issued by Home Affairs, Also the wife can provide proof of marriage by means of a certified copy of a customary union certificate from both families.

Death is unpredictable make sure you make you pay your contribution as a member of GEPF so if in case you pass away your spouse may be eligible to claim the pension benefits as required by GEPF. Do not hesitate to visit the official website for more clarification and leave your suggestion below for any correction.