Survivors’ Benefit
Survivors’ Benefit
SURVIVORS' BENEFITS CONTENT
Survivors’ Benefit
Survivors’ benefit may either be a grant or pension.
A surviving spouse and children of a deceased insured person qualify for a Survivors’ Benefit, if the deceased at the time of death was receiving or was qualified to receive Invalidity or Old-Age Contributory Benefit.
A surviving spouse and children of a deceased insured person qualify for a Survivors’ Benefit, if the deceased at the time of death was receiving or was qualified to receive Invalidity or Old-Age Contributory Benefit.
If the deceased had qualified for a grant, the survivors’ benefit would be a lump sum payment.
If the deceased had qualified for a pension, the survivors’ benefit would be in pension form.
Children and Survivors’ Benefits
Children who qualify for Survivors’ Benefit are unmarried children including adopted children and step-children who at the date of the parent’s death were living with or were wholly or mainly maintained by the parent.
Survivors’ pension is payable in respect of a child until his 16th birthday. Where the child is in full time education at an approved educational institution, until his 25th birthday. If a child is an invalid, he retains his qualification for Survivors’ Benefit so long as invalidity lasts.
Spouses and Survivors’ Benefits
A common-law spouse may be treated as a surviving widow/widower when no legal spouse exists.
A spouse of 50 years and over and had been married to the deceased for not less than 3 years shall be entitled to a survivors pension for life or until he/she becomes entitled to a pension in his/her own right at a higher rate.
A spouse of 45 years or over and had been married to the deceased for not less than 3 years at the time of the person’s death, shall qualify for a survivors pension for life or until he/she becomes entitled to a pension in his/ her own right at a higher rate.
However, Survivors’ Benefit is payable for only (1) year in respect of a marriage contracted after an insured person had been granted an invalidity or old-age contributory pension and 3 years or more before death of the insured person.
An invalid spouse, below the age of 50 who had been married for not less than three years at the time of the partner’s death, qualifies for a pension during the period of invalidity.
All other spouses qualify for a pension for one year.
Payments to survivors cease on marriage, remarriage or cohabitation as man and wife.
How is Survivors’ Benefit Computed?
Survivors’ benefit payable to a widow/widower who at the time of the death of the insured was 50 years or over and married for at least 3 years, would be entitled to a pension of one-half (1/2) of the amount which would have been payable as invalidity or old age contributory benefit to the deceased spouse had he/she been alive.
For spouses 45 years and over, they would be entitled to a pension of one-third (1/3) of the maximum pension available for payment to survivors.
Survivor’s benefit payable to a child is one-sixth (1/6) of the amount which would have been payable to the parent had, he/she been alive. However, if a child is an orphan or an invalid, he may receive one-third (1/3).
In no case can the total survivors’ benefit payable exceed the amount which would have been payable to the deceased person at the time of his death.
