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Widows and pensions


Alpo

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Daddy was retired Navy. Drew a pension. After he died, Mama was still a dependent. Did she continue to draw his pension? If so - the whole thing, or just a piece of it?

 

Can't ask her. She died ten years later.

 

Active duty military. Killed. His widow draw a pension? How about if not "killed", but just dies - disease or whatever. She still get one?

 

Cop. Same thing - killed in line of duty, yes/no? Dies not job related?

 

Assuming they do get pensions, if they remarry do the pensions continue? Or, like alimony - You are no longer Officer Brown's widow, you are Mrs. Jones - they stop?

 

Children. Benefits. If the widow remarries do they stop, or continue until the kid is grown?

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It depends on options chosen and the plan. Like with the military they can either choose a straight pension for themselves, or a slightly smaller amount and the spouse would receive the payment until she dies

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My dad retired from the USAF in 1970.  Back when he was active duty, there was an option that he took where he contributed a little bit more out of his paycheck so that my mom would draw 100% of his retirement after he died.  I'm not sure if that option is still available or not.

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1 hour ago, Alpo said:

Daddy was retired Navy. Drew a pension. After he died, Mama was still a dependent. Did she continue to draw his pension? If so - the whole thing, or just a piece of it?

 

Can't ask her. She died ten years later.

 

Active duty military. Killed. His widow draw a pension? How about if not "killed", but just dies - disease or whatever. She still get one?

 

Cop. Same thing - killed in line of duty, yes/no? Dies not job related?

 

Assuming they do get pensions, if they remarry do the pensions continue? Or, like alimony - You are no longer Officer Brown's widow, you are Mrs. Jones - they stop?

 

Children. Benefits. If the widow remarries do they stop, or continue until the kid is grown?

 

Other than the military, which I assume is standardized? Each state is different, each County is different and each city is different.

 

Here in Washington? The paid fire depts had a different plan than volunteer depts. 

 

You would need to be way more specific. Mine was a one time pay out. And the retirement payments stopped upon my death. They weren’t much to begin with anyhow. Like 200 bucks.

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Depends on the pension terms. I spent the last few years of my career in a public agency which had recruited me from private practice. I was there long enough to qualify for a pension (about a quarter of a full pension). I chose the option which gives the wife 100% if she survives me. Of course, the pension is over on the second spousal death.

 

The reduction in monthly benefit for choosing the two-life 100% option is actually quite small. I believe that absent special circumstances this is always the best choice.

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On my P.D. the wife receives 80% of what I was making at time of retirement, not at time of death. Killed in line of duty widow receives amount officer was making at time of death, it is also tax exempt. Children also receive set amount till their 18th birthday. My wife had to be married to me 2 years prior of retirement, if she remarries any time after my death she will no longer receive that pension. If we divorce during retirement she will not receive any pension after my death. 

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Like a lot of you said....depends. My private pension offered 0%, 50%, 75% & 100% survivorship for my wife. Depending on the option, your retirement  will be reduced. I chose 100% because I was a cancer survivor who was given a 1 in 10 chance of living 5 years. Took 100% for my wife.....I've lived 25 years! Interestingly my wife had to sign off on the amount I chose. Seems like some were choosing the 0% option to get more per month on their retirement. When they passed on, the spouse stopped getting checks....surprise, surprise!

 

Also an 50% disabled from the military, my wife continues to get all the benefit if I die first.

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My father was a career Navy man he died with 26 years in. He was on active duty at the time. My mother got a widows pension. How much I don't know it was 1966 and I was just about 13. She married again in 1969 I believe she lost his pension, but my sister and brother and I were eligible for Social security and war orphans  education assistance from the VA. My sister used the VA to get her degree. I used some for college and trade school until I joined the Navy. My brother joined the Navy after high school and didn't use any of the VA money.

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My mother's first husband that she married after WW2 died in 1951 from TB that he got while he was in the Army over in Europe. She received surviver benefits because he was a 100% disabled veteran when he died, even though she was not married to him while he was in the service. But she lost her benefits when she married my dad but also after she divorce my dad she filed for them and received  benifits again.

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