It can be difficult to think about what will happen to your loved ones after you pass away. This section explains what they can expect from your pension. We're here to make sure your wishes are met and are committed to helping the people in your life get what they need during a difficult time.
If you're a retired LAPP member and your spouse or partner (pension partner) has died or if you're the surviving spouse or partner, beneficiary, or the executor, executrix, or personal representative of a LAPP member's estate, here are some steps you should take:
The benefits payable to your surviving spouse or chosen beneficiaries in the event of your death depend on the pension option you chose at retirement. The following pension options would have been available if you had a pension partner when you started your LAPP pension. These options continue to pay for as long as either of you are alive.
If you pass away first, your pension partner will continue to receive a lifetime pension. If both you and your pension partner pass away in the first five years of your pension, we will pay the beneficiaries you have chosen for the remainder of that guarantee period.
| Pension Option Name | Survivor Pension Duration | Reduction on Death of Member or Pension Partner | Guaranteed Term Benefit Paid to Chosen Beneficiaries if Both Member and Pension Partner Pass Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3 on Member’s Death Only and Guaranteed 5 years | For surviving pension partner’s lifetime | Reduced by 1/3 on member's death only. Pension paid to surviving pension partner will be 2/3 of the original amount. If the member passes away within the first five years of the pension start date, the surviving pension partner will receive the full pension until the five-year mark has passed, then the pension is reduced by 1/3. No reduction to member’s pension on death of pension partner. | 5 years from pension start date and any payment remaining in this period will be paid at the full pension amount to the beneficiary(ies). |
| Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3 on First Death of Member or Pension Partner and Guaranteed 5 Years | For surviving pension partner's lifetime | Reduced by 1/3 on the death of either the member or pension partner. Pension paid to surviving pension partner or member will be 2/3 of the original amount. | 5 years from pension start date and any payment remaining in this period will be paid at the reduced pension amount to the beneficiary(ies). |
| Joint Lifetime Guaranteed 5 Years | For surviving pension partner's lifetime | No reduction | 5 years from pension start date |
If you chose to coordinate your pension — an option that was available until December 31, 2020 — after you pass away there are some important details you must remember.
If You Started Your Pension After 2003
Coordination will continue as long as you're alive.
If you die before age 65 with a coordinated pension, the increase to the monthly payment will stop. Any amount paid to your pension partner or beneficiaries reverts to your original pension choice without coordination. The pension will not be reduced on the date you would have reached 65.
If you die after age 65, the reduction in the monthly payment will stop and your pension partner or beneficiaries will receive the original monthly LAPP survivor pension.
Remember, these changes only refer to your coordination. There can be other decreases if you chose a pension option with a reduced survivor benefit, such as Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3.
If You Started Your Pension Before 2004
Coordination will continue for as long as a pension is being paid to you or your pension partner or beneficiary.
If you die before age 65 with a coordinated pension, the increase to the monthly payment will continue until the point at which you would have turned 65. Any amount paid to your pension partner or beneficiaries will be reduced on the date you would have reached 65.
If you die after age 65, the reduction in the monthly payment will continue for the survivor pension your pension partner or beneficiaries will receive.
Remember, these changes only refer to your coordination. There can be other decreases if you chose a pension option with a reduced survivor benefit, such as Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3.
The benefits payable to your surviving spouse or chosen beneficiaries in the event of your death depend on the pension option you chose at retirement. The following pension options would have been available if you did not have a pension partner when you started your LAPP pension, or if your pension partner chose to sign a Pension Partner Waiver. They are payable for your lifetime only.
Options with guaranteed terms mean if you pass away before the end of the guarantee period, we will pay the beneficiaries until the end of that guarantee period. Please note if you had a spouse or partner at retirement and:
| Pension Option Name | Guaranteed Term benefit Paid to Chosen Beneficiaries on Death of Member |
|---|---|
| Single Lifetime | None |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 5 Years | 5 years from pension start date |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 10 Years | 10 years from pension start date |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 15 Years | 15 years from pension start date |
If you chose to coordinate your pension — an option that was available until December 31, 2020 — after you pass away there are some important details you must remember.
If You Started Your Pension After 2003
Coordination will continue as long as you are alive.
If you die before age 65 with a coordinated pension, the increase to the monthly payment will stop. Any amount paid to your beneficiaries reverts to your original pension choice without coordination. The pension will not be reduced on the date you would have reached 65.
If you die after age 65, the reduction in the monthly payment will stop and your beneficiaries will receive the original monthly LAPP survivor pension.
If You Started Your Pension Before 2004
Coordination will continue for as long as a pension is being paid to you or your beneficiaries.
If you die before age 65 with a coordinated pension, the increase to the monthly payment will continue until the point at which you would have turned 65. Any amount paid to your beneficiaries will be reduced on the date you would have reached 65.
If you die after age 65, the reduction in the monthly payment will continue for the survivor pension your pension partner or beneficiaries will receive.
Any death benefits payable to beneficiaries after your death will be made according to the most recent information we have on file. Because of this, it's important to keep your beneficiaries updated at all times. If you would like to make changes to your beneficiaries, you can do so online by logging in to Your Pension Profile on this website or by using the Designation of Beneficiary(ies) form and sending it to us.
A legal will can also be used to tell us who your beneficiary is, but your will must refer to “LAPP,” “Local Authorities Pension Plan,” or “your employment-based pension plans." Beneficiaries have the option of receiving monthly payments until the end of the guaranteed term, or they can receive a lump sum payout of the commuted value of that amount.
Review the beneficiaries you have chosen on your yearly Pensioner Annual Statement or at any time by logging in to Your Pension Profile.
Learn how the LAPP pension fund is professionally managed to provide you with a secure retirement income.
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