Quote Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary View Post
Sorry to bring up facts again but...if your husband has a pension and dies before you the only way his pension would cease is if you sign papers agreeing to such an arrangement. If he dies before he begins to collect his pension it is assumed he selected (and you agreed to) a survivor benefit.

This is the law - ERISA. It was written to protect spouses. It was lobbied for and written by...Baby Boomers/wicked lawyers/AARP/Congress. Before all these evil people passed this law it was not uncommon for husbands to select the maximum pension payout - with no survivor benefits. Many a widow was shocked to find she had no income after the death of her husband.

As they say - there are facts, damn facts and inconvenient facts!
Hubby selected maximum pension & there are no survivor benefits. That is why there is the life insurance & 401 K. I don't recall signing any papers with the union or company it was decision he had to make at the time of retirement.

Now I have to keep him alive & well for a long long time.