AFPS 75 ...benefits to second (and current) wife?

[ramster999]

I have a pension in payment under the AFPS75.

I was married during service but divorced several years after I left. I was able to retain 100% of my pension on divorce.

If I remarry will my second wife get any survivor benefits from my military pension?

 

[Portree Kid]

I have a pension in payment under the AFPS75.

I was married during service but divorced several years after I left. I was able to retain 100% of my pension on divorce.

If I remarry will my second wife get any survivor benefits from my military pension?

50% of the rate of your pension at time of death.

 

[ramster999]

50% of the rate of your pension at time of death.

That is what I thought and it leads to my next question. Is this benefit only on marriage? If my partner and I have been living together for over 10 years, share a mortgage on a jointly owned property, have shared finances etc but are not married does the same benefit exist or in these circumstances is the benefit to a surviving (non-married) partner nothing?

 

[Portree Kid]

That is what I thought and it leads to my next question. Is this benefit only on marriage? If my partner and I have been living together for over 10 years, share a mortgage on a jointly owned property, have shared finances etc but are not married does the same benefit exist or in these circumstances is the benefit to a surviving (non-married) partner nothing?

You would have to check with the pension people.

It is my understanding ( although this could have changed recently ) under AFPS 75 you need to be legally married to get the 50% of pension, partners get nothing.

 

[Forces Pension Society]

I have a pension in payment under the AFPS75.

I was married during service but divorced several years after I left. I was able to retain 100% of my pension on divorce.

If I remarry will my second wife get any survivor benefits from my military pension?

If you have service after before 6 April 1978, that would not count towards the long term entitlement for your second wife. The calculation would be 50% of your pension entitlement excluding service prior to that date, but taking into account any pension sharing orders that might have been made.

If all of your service was from that date, the entitlement would normally be 50% of your entitlement at the time of your death.

The best thing to do is to drop Veterans UK a line and ask them for a forecast of widows pension.

I attach the AFPS 75 Family Benefits booklet so you can see all the 'ifs and buts' (one of which is the post-retirement marriage rule) in Chapter 2.

 

[Forces Pension Society]

That is what I thought and it leads to my next question. Is this benefit only on marriage? If my partner and I have been living together for over 10 years, share a mortgage on a jointly owned property, have shared finances etc but are not married does the same benefit exist or in these circumstances is the benefit to a surviving (non-married) partner nothing?

Portree Kid is right I'm afraid. AFPS 75 pays dependants' pensions to spouse or civil partners but not to unmarried partners (there is an exception for some cases of attributable death) - again, see booklet attached to my previous post.