Pension Company Says Designated Beneficiary is Not Due Payout

[pacnw]

My question involves estate proceedings in the state of: CA

My mother had a pension, unbeknownst to us, that they contacted her about.

I am named the beneficiary on their records.

My mother was unmarried at the time of her passing.

She completed the forms, but did not receive any payment, she chose the lump sum, before she passed. The company says because she initiated a payout, but died before the process was completed, I am NOT entitled to the benefit as a non spouse beneficiary.

I cannot find an attorney or legal firm in my area, Eastern Washington state, that has any experience in this type of case.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[llworking]

My question involves estate proceedings in the state of: CA

My mother had a pension, unbeknownst to us, that they contacted her about.

I am named the beneficiary on their records.

My mother was unmarried at the time of her passing.

She completed the forms, but did not receive any payment, she chose the lump sum, before she passed. The company says because she initiated a payout, but died before the process was completed, I am NOT entitled to the benefit as a non spouse beneficiary.

I cannot find an attorney or legal firm in my area, Eastern Washington state, that has any experience in this type of case.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Are they indicating that they do not intend to pay out the lump sum to her estate? I agree that they should not pay you anything, but they should pay out the lump sum to her estate since she initiated that.

[adjusterjack]

I cannot find an attorney or legal firm in my area, Eastern Washington state, that has any experience in this type of case.

This appears to be a contracts issue that just about any attorney can handle.

Though I agree with the other response. The money should go to her estate. Call back and ask about that.

[budwad]

I'm not so sure I agree with the previous responses until I know how old was your mother when she died and how long before she died did she request and sign the payout forms.

[pg1067]

My mother had a pension, unbeknownst to us, that they contacted her about.

Who are "they"?

She completed the forms, but did not receive any payment, she chose the lump sum, before she passed. The company says because she initiated a payout, but died before the process was completed, I am NOT entitled to the benefit as a non spouse beneficiary.

Makes sense. I assume the pension company wants to pay the money to the estate instead. Correct? Are you a beneficiary of her estate? Are there other beneficiaries of the estate?

I cannot find an attorney or legal firm in my area, Eastern Washington state, that has any experience in this type of case.

I have a hard time believing there are no lawyers or firms in Spokane that handle pension benefit matters, but you may have to go outside the area. By the way, at the opening of your post, you said this relates to estate proceedings in California. Does that mean your mother lived in California at the time of her death?

[pacnw]

Who are "they"?

Does they matter? It was a small firm that was acquired sometime back by a large nation, maybe worldwide, company.
If the name really matters, I can name them, but for now I don't want to do so.




Makes sense. I assume the pension company wants to pay the money to the estate instead. Correct? Are you a beneficiary of her estate? Are there other beneficiaries of the estate?

They never mentioned any payout to her estate. I am the only beneficiary of her estate and only one listed, and confirmed by Citi, on the pension.


I have a hard time believing there are no lawyers or firms in Spokane that handle pension benefit matters, but you may have to go outside the area. By the way, at the opening of your post, you said this relates to estate proceedings in California. Does that mean your mother lived in California at the time of her death?
Yes, she was a Ca resident. I am a Wa resident.

I'm not so sure I agree with the previous responses until I know how old was your mother when she died and how long before she died did she request and sign the payout forms.

She was 69 years, 11 months old.
She initiated the lump sum payout on 12/10/19.
She passed on 12/13/19.

They referenced this, on one of the forms submitted:

"- If I die before January 1,2019, this election will be revoked and my surviving spouse will receive a survivor benefit."

A request for details got the additional info:

"... As noted in the SPD, the Associate benefit is payable to a surviving spouse upon death before payment start. Specifically, the SPD indicates that No survivor benefits are payable if you are unmarried... at the time of your death."

The last piece of information was not available to us. We had just found out about this pension a year prior.

[llworking]

You are not answering an important question that has been asked. Did they state that they would NOT be paying out the lump sum benefit to her estate?

[pacnw]

You are not answering an important question that has been asked. Did they state that they would NOT be paying out the lump sum benefit to her estate?

I did not ask that question and they did not volunteer that as an option.

[Guybrush]

She was 69 years, 11 months old.
She initiated the lump sum payout on 12/10/19.
She passed on 12/13/19.

Time traveling are we?

[llworking]

I did not ask that question and they did not volunteer that as an option.

Then you need to ask that question.