With
widow's benefits, there's no deeming, so clients can take their
widow's benefit first and are not forced to take their retirement benefit at the same time or vice versa.
Thus, a
widow's benefit under a typical deferred compensation agreement is includable in the gross estate by reason of IRC Section 2039(a).
This would be achieved through raising a
widow's benefit to three-fourths of the couple's combined benefit instead of the current one-half to two-thirds that widows receive; this would help more than three million elderly women receive a benefit that reflects their cost of living.
The downside is that to provide 100 per cent
widow's benefit will mean that the pension you receive may be as low as six per cent of the pension fund a year in view of the current low interest rates.
Likewise, many who have paid up to 40 years' National Insurance contributions to give their wives
widow's benefit should they die, are seeing this contract torn up.
This also includes anybody who is receiving
widow's benefit, widow's mother's allowance and widower's benefit, if they live with a partner that benefit is not payable and they are cheating the public.
For instance, my application for
widow's benefit was sent on to the wrong agency because they saw my age and assumed I was divorced, not widowed."
Nuneaton people making a claim for Jobseekers' Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Housing and Council Tax Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or
Widow's Benefit can now visit a purpose-designed ONE Centre at the Benefits Agency in Mill House, Mill Walk.
It would also have the advantage of not having to commit yourself to buying a spouse's pension which can be expensive as on your death the whole of the rest of the fund could be used to buy a
widow's benefit.
The 1994-96 Social Security Advisory Council recommended that the spouse's benefit be reduced and the
widow's benefit increased, a revenue-neutral solution that redirects money to women when they need it most.
And the
widow's benefit would be 100 percent of the smaller check for the survivor's lifetime.
Alec McFadden, from Wallasey, applied for
widow's benefit following the death of his wife, but was told he was not entitled to it.