Pension: part of estate?

[HJC]

Hi all,
When a person dies and their spouse receives part of what would have been the deceased's pension, does that pension become the sole property of the spouse or does it form part of the estate? ie do the estate's creditors have any right to be paid from it?

 

[Padraigb]

If you mean a pension scheme that pays a reduced pension to a surviving spouse, then it is not an asset of the estate.

 

[HJC]

Thanks, Padraigb, that's what I thought