YOUR MONEY | How to claim from your pension fund

When a contributing member of a pension fund dies, a death benefit is usually paid out. If the deceased died while still a fund member, the money isn’t part of the deceased’s estate. This means the death benefit payable isn’t subject to estate tax, the executor of the estate has no jurisdiction over it and it’s protected against creditors. The people who decide what happens to retirement money are the trustees of the pension fund. Legally they’re responsible for making sure the death benefits are paid to the deceased’s family or dependants. But how does a dependant claim? 

Every pension fund has a claim form that must be submitted. If the deceased belonged to their employer’s pension fund, the employer will help with the form.