Pre-Retirement Death Benefits

If you are vested and die prior to receiving your pension benefits, the Death Benefits payable to your beneficiary depends on your age and marital status.

Non-Married: If you are not married at the time of your death, you need a minimum of 5 pension credits for your beneficiary to be entitled to a death benefits. Your beneficiary will receive a one-time lump sum benefit equal to $1,000 for each pension credit you have earned, up to a maximum of 30 pension credits.

Married: If you are vested and have been legally married to your spouse for at least one year before your death, your spouse will be eligible for a surviving spouse benefit. That benefit is determined as follows:

If you are retirement age on the date of your death, your spouse’s benefit will be determined as if you had retired the day before your death and elected the 100% Spousal Option. The monthly benefit will be payable the first of the month following your death and will be payable for the life of your spouse.

• If you are NOT yet retirement age on the date of your death, your spouse will be entitled to the 100% Spousal Option when you would have reached retirement age. The monthly benefit will be payable the first of the month after you would have reached retirement age and will be payable for the life of your spouse. Additionally, if you have at least 5 pension credits and have at least 500 hours reported at the $1.70 or higher (rate effective May 1995), your spouse will have the option to receive a one-time lump sum payment at the time of your death and then take an actuarially reduced monthly benefit when you would have been retirement age. The lump sum payment will be equal to $1,000 for each pension credit you have earned, up to a maximum of 30 pension credits. After you retire and start receiving your monthly pension benefit, determining the Death Benefits payable to your beneficiary is simple. The benefit available to your beneficiary depends solely on the Pension Option you elected when you retired. 

Post Retirement Death Benefits

After you retire and start receiving your monthly pension benefit, determining the Death Benefits payable to your beneficiary is simple. The benefit available to your beneficiary depends solely on the Pension Option you elected when you retired. 

Naming a Beneficiary

It is extremely important to keep your beneficiaries up-to-date. Please complete a new Enrollment/Beneficiary Card and submit it to Ohio Laborers Benefits if your family changes. Enrollment/Beneficiary Cards can be updated through your MemberXG account. If you have been married for at least one year at the time of your death, your surviving spouse will automatically be your beneficiary for pension Death Benefits. If you fail to designate a beneficiary or your designated beneficiary predeceases you, your lump sum payment will be paid to your estate. If there is no estate, payment will be made in the following order: spouse, children, parents, brothers/sisters, next of kin.