SSNIT Cautions Contributors Against Naming Side Chicks or Boyfriends as Pension Beneficiaries, Says Only Recognised Dependants Qualify.
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has sent out a clear and slightly funny warning to contributors, and it’s one many people on social media won’t like.
If you’re thinking of naming your side chick or boyfriend as your pension beneficiary, SSNIT says it won’t work unless the person is legally recognised.
In simple terms, feelings are not enough. You cannot just wake up and list anyone because of a romantic relationship. The Trust explained that only people who meet the legal definition of dependants will qualify to receive benefits, no matter how close you think you are to them.
Speaking at a regional forum in Sunyani, a senior SSNIT official made it clear that pension benefits are strictly for recognised dependants. These usually include your spouse, children, or any other person who genuinely depends on you financially and is accepted under the law.
SSNIT stressed that informal relationships, like side chicks or boyfriends, do not automatically qualify someone to receive your pension money. If the law does not recognise the person as your dependant, SSNIT will not pay them anything. It’s as simple as that.
This clarification comes after widespread claims online suggesting that contributors are free to name anyone they want as beneficiaries. SSNIT says that claim is false and misleading, and people should stop relying on such information.
The Trust also used the opportunity to remind contributors to regularly review and update their list of beneficiaries. This is important because once the money is paid to a properly nominated and legally accepted person, no one else can come forward to challenge it.
Under the pension scheme, both workers and employers contribute a portion of the worker’s salary to support retirement, invalidity, and survivor benefits. When a contributor passes away, the benefits are paid to the approved dependants, no shortcuts, no emotional appeals.
SSNIT continues to encourage workers to take their nominations seriously to avoid future family disputes. Because when the time comes, the law, not love, decides who gets what.
Bottom line: If the relationship is not recognised by law, SSNIT will not recognise it either.
Source: Nkonkonsa
