Should a pensioner open a separate bank account for receiving pension?

A pensioner need not open a separate pension account in a bank if he already has an existing savings/current account in any bank selected by the pensioner. The pensioner will be credited to the existing account every month.

Pensioners of Central Government and those of State Government can open a joint account with his/her spouse in any bank to receive the pension who have accepted such arrangement.

If the pensioner already has a joint saving account in any bank with his spouse then he need not open another single account for receiving pension. The pensioner may continue with the existing joint saving account where pension will be credited every month.

The joint account with the spouse can be operated either as "Former or Survivor" or as "Either or Survivor" whichever suits the pensioner best. The joint account can be continued for receiving family pension also.

In the event of death of the pensioner who is a Central Government employee, his/her spouse who has been nominated for receiving the pension in the Pension Payment Order (PPO) will receive the same. The spouse, who is the survivor of the pensioner need not open a single pension account for receiving pension in this case.

Pensioners can even maintain a zero balance in their pension account. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has not stipulated any minimum balance to be maintained in the pension account.

However, different banks have framed different rules of maintaining the minimum balance in the pension account. While some banks stipulate a minimum account to be maintained others allow the pensioners the liberty of maintaining a zero account balance in the pension account.

Click here to read How is pension income treated for computing tax?

So, you should check with the bank where you have the pension account about the minimum balance to maintained in the pension account. You should withdraw money from your pension account depending on that.

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