State Pension Means Test Question

Unperson

My mother passed away a few months ago and after looking into her affairs I'm starting to realise she may have been overpaid on her pension for a number of years after my father died. She got a sum of money after his estate was settled and she never had her means reevaluated. Her estate is being processed at the moment and when it comes time for the social welfare to have a look, I'm expecting to have to refund the overpayment. I'm trying to work out an approximately figure.

I've calculated her means based on her savings but I can't figure out how to apply a small pension she received from my late father's workplace. I'm pretty sure she started getting it after he died. It amounted to about €50 a week. There's no documentation I've seen that mentions how that affects the calculation. I'm dreading finding out that it's as straight-forward as adding €50, since that would double the refund due.

Any advice would be appreciated.

wellieboot

Firstly, I would confirm what pension your mum was in receipt of.

She may have transferred to a Survivor's Contributory pension on your dad's death, in which case the issue of means doesn't arise.

If she was getting a non contributory pension, it becomes complicated but there are in built protections within the means calculations to protect spouses in the event of the death of one of a couple.

The Dept will request a schedule of assets and will issue a letter not to distribute assets until it's enquiries are complete

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Estate-Cases.
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Means-Assessment.aspx#sect3

Unperson

Thanks for the reply.

She was getting the non-contributory pension. No change occurred when my father died. They were separated for decades.

I'm starting to think an extra weekly pension of €50 simply added €50 to her means. I hope I'm wrong on that. I can't find any formula like the one I've seen for assessing capital so it makes me think there isn't one and it's just 1:1.