# Advice needed re death in service and wife's pension entitlement.



## pjogrady (21 Jan 2012)

If i die in service what pension is my wife entitled to


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## Slim (21 Jan 2012)

pjogrady said:


> If i die in service what pension is my wife entitled to


From your wording, it sounds as though you are in the 'public' service. In general, in the PS, your widow may be entitled to a pension and lump sum based on service as if you had lived and worked to age 65. This is a generalisation, as you may not be a member of the spouses & children scheme and your entitlement will depend on when you started. Can you check with your HR people?


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## kceire (21 Jan 2012)

if you die during service, i thought your widow gets one years salary and thats it. may be wrong though.


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## kceire (21 Jan 2012)

maybe of some help?​ 
http://www.cspensions.gov.ie/OverviewofPublicServicePensionSchemes.pdf

Edit - 



> 2.4.9 *On death in service*, a death gratuity is payable to the legal personal representative. This amounts to a minimum of one year's pensionable remuneration, or, if greater, the lump sum that would have been payable if the civil servant had retired on ill-health grounds on the date of death (subject to a maximum of 1½ times pensionable remuneration).


 
http://finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=895​


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## Black Sheep (21 Jan 2012)

Plus the State Widow's Pension


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## oysterman (23 Jan 2012)

Black Sheep said:


> Plus the State Widow's Pension


Not so sure about this:

If OP is pre-1995 PS starter, he'll be paying reduced rate PRSI and spouse will have no contributory pension rights.

If post-1995, any contributory rights will be integrated into PS pension, so nothing extra if PS spouse's pension exceeds any contributory entitlements.

There might be some non-contributory means-tested pension if the PS entitlement is very low.


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## gipimann (23 Jan 2012)

Reduced Rate PRSI paid by civil/public servants who started pre-1995 also qualifies for Widow's Contributory Pension.

Class B (civil servant) or D (public servant) PRSI classes are counted towards:

Widow's or Widower's (Contributory) Pension
Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
Limited Occupational Injuries Benefits
Bereavement Grant
Carer's Benefit

I know the State Pension (contributory) is integrated with the Public Service Pension for post 1995 staff, but is the Widows/Widower's Contributory pension integrated too?


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## Slim (24 Jan 2012)

gipimann said:


> Reduced Rate PRSI paid by civil/public servants who started pre-1995 also qualifies for Widow's Contributory Pension.
> 
> Class B (civil servant) or D (public servant) PRSI classes are counted towards:
> 
> ...


No state pension for class D public servants. Post 1995 public servants will have their pensions reduced by the state pension rate. There are a few public servants who have been able to retire on full occupational pensions plus state pension but, in general, this avenue has been closed off.


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## ClubMan (24 Jan 2012)

Death in service cover also applies in some non civil/public service employments as a contractual benefit. The original poster never clarified the nature of their employment - public or private sector.


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## Baracuda (24 Jan 2012)

Agree with you Clubman, in fact the majority of private sector Occ schemes have DIS benefits often up to 4 times salary but usually 1.5 times salary. Best advice to OP is to back to his/her HR department and get a break down of employee benefits or else get their Financial Advisor to request this on their behalf as I often find that people have difficulity in interpreting these benefits as DIS may be fund inclusive or exclusive in the case of DC. DB schemes may have DIS Lump-sum as well as ongoing spouse's pension


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