GEPF – Rules changed regarding pension debt on divorce

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Following the gazetting of the Government Employees Pension Law Amendment Bill on 23 May 2019, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has amended and implemented the new rules and will no longer subject a member to a debt model in executing a divorce settlement. Instead the new amendment provides for the reduction of pensionable service of the GEPF member that is equal to the value of the divorce settlement amount paid.

Timeslive reports that “the amendment removes the pension debt that accrued to GEPF members when, as stipulated by their divorce settlements, the fund paid out part of their pension to their former spouses. This created the possibility that such members could owe money to the GEPF when they retired. Now, rather than creating a debt, the GEPF will adjust a member’s years of pensionable service after it has paid the amount required by the divorce settlement”.

The GEPF also published questions and answers for the rule change on divorce on their website – click here to access.