Benefit loss on remarriage

My mother, a widow, has her own pension, a pension from my father's work, social security, and my father's life insurance. What is likely to happen to these benefits if she should remarry? How about life insurance benefits from my father's estate? She is spending the interest now, but could she request a lump sum before remarrying -- or after?

Answers in turn. Your mother's own pension would not likely be disturbed if she remarried. You or she should ask the administrator of the pension plan where your father worked, as spousal benefits sometimes stop when the surviving spouse remarries. The specifics in your father's plan will govern. Your mother's social security benefits on your father's work record will continue if she is 60 years old or older when she remarries. Remarrying should not affect your father's estate or the life insurance. If she is taking the life insurance benefits as a monthly payment and not as an annuity, she can request a lump sum at any time. If she converted the cash value to an annuity, she cannot draw a lump sum.