Extract
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Notably, as both Carmichael and Rupe Prasad explain, the spouse ultimately has priority rights when it comes to death benefits.
“Regardless of who’s designated as the beneficiary, the spouse has priority rights, unless of course those rights are waived by the spouse,” explained Prasad, partner and senior consultant at PBI Actuarial.
Prasad emphasized that this is true across most jurisdictions in Canada, and particularly important when plan members believe that simply listing a child or other family member as a beneficiary will suffice.