Your pensions
Pensions are often the largest thing a family inherits — and the part most people forget to keep tidy. Here are David's pots, who is set to receive each one, and a plain explanation of how they pass on (it is not through the will).
Defined-contribution pots
£230,000
2 pots · pass by nomination
Aviva workplace
£142,000
Defined contribution
Hargreaves Lansdown SIPP
£88,000
Self-invested
Final-salary pension
£9,200/yr
50% continues to spouse
💡
Your pensions usually do not pass through your will. Each pension is normally paid to whoever you have nominated with the provider (an "expression of wish") — paid outside probate, often within weeks, and usually free of Inheritance Tax today. That makes keeping these nominations up to date one of the most important things you can do. Your will does not override them.
Your pension pots ✓ Open Banking / provider
Balances refreshed from each provider. You did not have to type them in.
Aviva
Aviva Workplace Pension
Defined contribution · policy AV-7741203 · via former employer
Nominated: Margaret Richards (wife) 100% · last confirmed Mar 2024
£142,000
✓ up to date
HL
Hargreaves Lansdown SIPP
Self-invested personal pension · account HL-558210
Nominated: Margaret 50%, Paul & Sarah 25% each · last confirmed Jan 2023
£88,000
⚠ review
DB
Stratstone Group Final-Salary Scheme
Defined benefit · pays £9,200/year · in payment
On death, a 50% spouse's pension (£4,600/yr) continues to Margaret for life
£9,200/yr
scheme rules
SP
State Pension
Full new State Pension · £230.25/week · National Insurance record complete
Stops on death. A Bereavement Support Payment may be claimable by Margaret — the executor checklist covers it.
£11,973/yr
DWP
Keeping your nominations right INHERIT rules
Aviva workplace
Margaret 100% — current
HL SIPP
Set in 2023 — worth a fresh look
Final-salary scheme
Spouse's pension fixed by scheme rules
Why it matters
The provider follows your nomination, not your will
A quick review is suggested when you marry, divorce, have children, or every few years. We will remind you — nothing changes without you.
For your executor open standard
☐
Tell each pension provider of the death
Death certificate + policy number
☐
Claim the defined-contribution pots
Paid to nominees, outside probate
☐
Arrange the spouse's final-salary pension
50% continues to Margaret
☐
Tell DWP — stop State Pension
Use the Tell Us Once service
☐
Check Bereavement Support Payment
Margaret may be eligible
As INHERIT data open standard
Everything on this page is structured, portable data — not locked into MFI.
| Feature | INHERIT source | What it does here |
|---|---|---|
| Pension pots | asset.pension[] · type, provider, value | Lists each pot with its live balance and scheme type |
| Nomination | pension.nomination[] (expression of wish) | Records who is set to receive each pot, and the share |
| Probate routing | estate.outsideProbate flag | Marks DC pensions as passing outside the will |
| IHT treatment | tax.iht.pensionTreatment (E&W) | Currently outside the estate; flags the 6 Apr 2027 change |
| Beneficiary income tax | tax.incomeTax.deathAfter75 | Flags income tax for the beneficiary if death is on/after 75 |
Pension balances are taken from your providers on the date shown and will change with markets. How a pension passes on depends on its scheme rules and your nomination; defined-contribution pensions are normally paid outside the will. Tax figures are a guide computed against the INHERIT E&W Tax module for planning only — they are not tax advice, and pension tax rules (including the planned 6 April 2027 Inheritance Tax change) may alter. MyFamilyInherits does not provide legal or tax advice; regulated firms do. We will never charge your card automatically.