Survivor Benefits

Death before retirement
If you have under two years of plan membership at the time of your death, your total contributions to the plan will be paid to your spouse with interest. If you have no spouse, this amount will be paid to your beneficiary or estate.

If you have completed at least two years of plan membership (or five years of service), your spouse is entitled to a survivor's pension equal to 60% of the pension you have earned. This pension will be paid for the lifetime of your spouse and is not affected by remarriage. It will increase each year in line with any cost-of-living increases.

Your opposite-sex spouse as defined under provincial pension law is the automatic beneficiary of your pension benefits - even if you've named someone else as beneficiary.

A same-sex spouse is the automatic beneficiary only if you do not have an opposite-sex spouse and you have not named any other beneficiary.

If you die within one year of your marriage, and your life expectancy at the time of marriage was under one year, no surviving spouse's pension will be paid.
 
If you leave no surviving spouse, your dependent children under age 18 will share the survivor's pension up to age 18. The Pension Board may also grant a survivor's pension to a disabled child over age 18, or to another member of your family who was dependent on you at the time of your death.

If you leave no dependents, your beneficiary or estate will receive a cash payment equal to the full value of your pension earned to date or your own contributions plus interest, whichever is greater.

Death after retirement
Under the UNB plan, when you die, 60% of your pension will continue to your spouse. This pension will be paid for the lifetime of your spouse and is not affected by remarriage. It will increase each year in line with any cost-of-living increases. The person who was your spouse when your pension began has first claim. If this spouse has died or you had no spouse when your pension began, the person who was your spouse at the time of your death will receive the pension. An opposite-sex spouse as defined under provincial pension law or any other named beneficiary will take precedence over a same-sex spouse.

If you die within one year of your marriage, and your life expectancy at the time of marriage was under one year, no surviving spouse's pension will be paid.

If you leave no surviving spouse, your dependent children under age 18 will share the survivor's pension up to age 18. The Pension Board may also grant a survivor's pension to a disabled child over age 18, or to another member of your family who was dependent on you at the time of your death.

If you leave no dependents, and your contributions plus interest exceed the pension that has already been paid out to you, the difference will be refunded to your named beneficiary or estate.