Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband worked for over 25 years at the Post Office. My husband always discussed increasing the amount he was going to leave me from his pension, however, he passed away before doing this. My husband was only 59 when he passed. I've requested an increase in the amount that he left for me, but they tell me that there's nothing I can do. Has anyone else run into this? What action did you take to get an increase. Where you successful, or do you know anyone else that has been successful in receiving an increase? As things stand now, I only have enough for health insurance with $60 left over.
Thank you in advance for any help you have to offer.
I've never heard of anyway to "increase" a pension after the pensioner is deceased. Many pensions don't even have survivor benefits. I don't know about the P.O., maybe some other federal retirees can comment.
They are telling me that there is nothing I can do. I expect this to be their answer. I just can't believe that my husband can work for almost 30 years, and I only get $60 after insurance is paid a month. There's something wrong with this.
I don't have a grip on what you are referring to as a pension . . . but here is a link to the benefits the USPS offers. If you could read over that list and explain to us what benefit you are referring to, it may be someone could help you understand why you are only getting $60/month or if there are other avenues you can pursue in re: to your deceased husband's pension.
many pensions allow the pensioner to take a decrease in benefits while they are alive and add a spouse as a beneficiary.
i am confused .
was your husband collecting the pension yet?
was he collecting a full pension or planned on collecting a full pension without you having survivorship? did he take a reduced pension so he could add you?
Last edited by mathjak107; 01-21-2014 at 04:31 PM..
They are telling me that's all he left for me. I have a feeling my husband had no idea what he was doing. He was a veteran with a lot of problems. I'd like to get an attorney, but I'm on a fixed income. I really can't afford it. I'm also wondering if it would be worth my time. I'm just upset.
My husband worked for over 25 years at the Post Office. My husband always discussed increasing the amount he was going to leave me from his pension, however, he passed away before doing this. My husband was only 59 when he passed. I've requested an increase in the amount that he left for me, but they tell me that there's nothing I can do. Has anyone else run into this? What action did you take to get an increase. Where you successful, or do you know anyone else that has been successful in receiving an increase? As things stand now, I only have enough for health insurance with $60 left over.
Thank you in advance for any help you have to offer.
How much a month is taken out for insurance? You are a spouse so it may not be subsidized much if at all
My husband was on disability/pension...I think. He was 59 when he passed away in 2006. My health insurance is around $200 a month. I get a remaining $60. He only set aside a small amount, because he thought that he would live longer and collect a lot more to take care of the both of us. He intended to increase my amount, but his death was unexpected. I just feel like there is something wrong with this. Am I wrong? Is it worth even looking in to? I've been to the website, and they all say that there's nothing I can do. I don't expect to get help from them. They only benefit from me not collecting more. My husband didn't have to put money into Social Security. He put it all in the pension for the Post Office. I never expected this. I just don't know what to do at this point.
so i am still confused. it sounds like he elected to take the full amount of his pension instead of a reduced amount if he added you. but what confuses me is that you are getting a check.
i just directed messaged a cd member who usually has a better handle on pensions and retirement systems than most of us do and i invited him to join the thread.
he may not know the workings of yours but lets see.
The following is a brief but good summary of Postal benefits from E-How. You may already know all of this but if not it is starter to help you and to help you ask some more questions in the forum. Hopefully some former postal employees will chime in. My dad retired from the post office on disability from a work related incident. He could have sued the heck out of them but didn't. My mom had no benefits or SS or her own. She had his pension savings etc etc. Not sure your age but eventually you will get to Medicare which hopefully will help.
Postal employees hired before 1984 receive income from the Civil Service Retirement System. This system allowed workers to contribute a percentage of their pay to receive a regular income throughout retirement. Employees could also increase their retirement income by contributing an additional 10 percent of their pay. These workers did not pay any Social Security tax while working. Employees hired after 1984, however, pay Social Security tax and contribute money into an employee contribution account. These employees receive Social Security at retirement as well as annuity payments from the employee contribution amount.
Quote:
When a retiree dies, her annuity payments end. The retiree's spouse and children might receive payments at that time. The retiree can choose to reduce her annuity payments by 10 percent, which would provide for an annuity payment to the spouse in her death. The spouse of a retiree receives annuity payments equal to half of what the retiree received. An additional annuity payment goes to the surviving spouse if he is not yet 60 years old and will continue until he reaches age 60.
Hopefully some of this reads familiar to you etc etc.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
