How benefits are paid.

How benefits are paid.

In general, if you are single when your pension payments begin, your benefit is paid monthly for your lifetime.  If you die within 5 years after your pension begins, your Beneficiary will receive the benefits until 5 years of payments have been paid.  If you are married when your pension payments begin, your pension will be paid as an annuity for your lifetime that is equal in value to the benefit you would get if you were single.  If you die and are survived by the spouse to whom you were married when your pension commenced, he or she will get a lifetime annuity with payments equal to 50% of the payments you were receiving during your lifetime.  You may choose to receive your benefit in another form.  Read about optional forms of benefits on pages 16 to 19 of the SPD.