Thank you all for your information and advice so far. And yeah, I always assume the terminology used by non-experts (like myself) might not be accurate and may be misleading.
I will get the exact name of the pension from my other uncle who is the administrator (I am doing leg work for him.)
We have the Summary Plan Description and my uncle has read most of it (I have not yet). I also asked him to see if they can provide some kind of statement showing contributions (employee and employer) over the duration of his employment.
We think that it is a Defined Benefits plan. He did not designate a beneficiary, he was a widower with no kids.
This is the language from the SPD relating to additional contributions.
... if you do not have a spouse, domestic partner, or minor child who qualifies for
a survivor benefit when you die, no death benefit is payable if you die before
your benefits begin (unless provided in a QDRO or except to the extent of your
own contributions to the Plan (if any)).
So if he put in his own contributions while the fund was active and even more after (still assuming, for now, that it was frozen for him) then the estate should be entitled to those?
- Brad
