The Civil Service Superannuation Board has developed a form that members can use if they wish to designate a pension beneficiary for pre-retirement death benefits. A copy of this form is available here.
The Civil Service Superannuation Act provides that when a member dies prior to retirement, death benefits will be paid to the member’s spouse or recognized common-law partner unless:
- that spouse or partner has waived those rights, or
- at the time of the member’s death, they were living separately and apart due to a breakdown of their relationship.
If there is no eligible spouse or partner, or if the spouse or partner has waived rights to the benefit, The Civil Service Superannuation Act provides that the pension benefit would be paid to the deceased member’s estate.
Although it is not necessary to do so, The Beneficiary Designation Act provides that a member of a pension plan may designate a beneficiary to receive benefits under that plan.
Where the Board has been provided with a beneficiary designation, pension benefits payable on the death of a member prior to retirement may be paid to one or more designated beneficiaries rather than to the member’s estate.
IMPORTANT: A beneficiary designation in any format does not over-ride the rights of an eligible spouse or common-law partner to receive pension benefits payable on the death of a member prior to retirement if that spouse or partner has not waived those rights.