I am writing to you today on behalf of my deceased father. My father was a happy, healthy 59 year old man enjoying life and his family, when he was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. We were all devastated. He was given only 2-4 months to live. We were given only a short time to prepare for my father's death and get all of his finances in order. It seemed as though we were all in a bad dream. We put together a will, POA, advanced directives, and made arrangements for end of life care at home, and many other things. We tried to get his estate in order in addition to all the hospital admissions my father had up until the day he died, with which we spent countless hours at his bedside. It was all happening so fast, we barely had time to take a deep breath.

My father was a Vietnam veteran and worked as a critical care/trauma nurse, he spent most of his life dedicating himself to the service of others. He gave of himself freely, and without question. He was loved by all. One day in the hospital my father told us that he had a pension from one of the hospitals he worked at, that had closed. He didn't remember who had been the most recent holder of the pension, and didn't really remember a lot of details. At this time my father was very ill and plagued with infection, his mind was sketchy. My sisters and I went on a search for his pension. We found the company that had his pension and contacted them regarding payment to my father . My father at this point had been deemed disabled. We filled out all the necessary paperwork and sent it back to the company. My father knowing he wouldn't be around to collect his pension(they did not allow a one lump sum payment)designated me the beneficiary of his pension to share with my sisters in the event of his death. We thought it was a done deal, we thought wrong. We were notified by this company that no payments of my fathers pension will be paid out because my father died 10 days before payments were suppose to start. We were shocked and dumbfounded to hear that my fathers money would be kept by this company because he couldn't live long enough to make it until the designated payment date, which was determined by this company.

When I called to inquire about the denial, they just said they were sorry, but it's their policy. I tried to explain that my father was dying and we just found out about his pension recently, but nonetheless we submitted all the necessary paperwork and he chose a beneficiary which is still alive. It did not matter to them. We also came to find out that my father was eligible to receive payment at age 57, he could have been collecting his pension already.

How can they just take away his money he worked hard for based on a date? God forbid, he died before their payment date. We are traumatized about the passing of our father's death and company's like this who should be helping ease the financial debt left behind by some, instead they are stealing someone else's money, and should be ashamed of themselves. How can this happen in America, the country my father gave his life for? There are still medical bills that need to be paid and this money would surely help settle some of his debt.s