Pension Survivor Audits

You may get a letter from your pension plan administrator asking you to confirm you are still entitled to the benefits you are receiving. These letters are a way for plan administrators to reduce the risk of paying pension benefits after a member has passed away. It also protects your loved ones from having to deal with large over-payments. 

Pension plan administrators may conduct audits of their benefit recipients to ensure their pension plan records are accurate and identify payments that should have stopped upon the death of a recipient. This process usually involves sending out letters requiring benefit recipients to reply, confirming that they are still living and entitled to receive their monthly benefit payment.

If you receive such a letter, it’s important to reply or follow up with a phone call. If you do not reply, plan administrators should do their due diligence and continue their attempts to contact you. However, not replying to the letter poses a risk that your pension may be suspended.

With warnings of fraud targeting older adults, pension benefit recipients may be skeptical to reply to one of these letters. If you receive a letter and have doubts about its authenticity, please contact the Pension Division of FCNB at 1-866-933-2222 or by email at info@fcnb.ca for assistance.