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Does a Surviving Spouse Get Her Husband's Pension? What to Know

According to the Pension Rights Center, a federal law known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) generally requires that private pension plans provide benefits to surviving spouses. So, does a surviving spouse get her husband's pension? The short answer is yes, in most cases, but the specifics depend on the type of pension, the benefit election made, and whether a spousal consent form was ever signed.