A benefit is payable for the death of a covered ADF member.

The benefit is payable to:

  (a)   the surviving spouse or eligible children of the member; or

  (c)   beneficiaries under the member's will who were nominated to CSC and dependent on the member just before the member's death, if there is neither a surviving spouse nor eligible children; or

  (d)   the member's estate, if the benefit is not payable to anyone else.

Generally, the benefit is a lump sum of 25% of the amount the member would have earned if he or she had continued to serve in the ADF, at the salary payable at the time of his or her death, until turning 60.

However, if the lump sum would be paid to a surviving spouse of the member, the spouse can choose to convert it to a pension. If, after doing so, the spouse dies leaving one or more eligible children of the member who were dependent on the spouse, a pension is payable to them.