That is completely false. Go to the ALPA R&I page and look at the plan. Section 6 and 7 are there specifically explaining how your spouse (or other named beneficiaries) can use you RHA upon the pilots death. Please actually READ what ALPA has put out for us before posting things as fact.

But yes, there is a lag on changes to your 401k deductions. We are still talking about UALs joke of an IT department.

Maybe get your facts from a credible source....not the APC forum. Upon your death, your RHA monies ARE available to your surviving eligible dependents. It also goes in tax free, grows tax free, and comes out tax free. The trifecta baby.

Your wife gets your VEBA money when you die but if she goes then the money I think is redistributed.

ALPA haters sure don't let the facts stand in the way of their tired stories.

Again I wish people would actually read before posting.

Section 7. How Your Other Beneficiaries Can Use Your RHA
Your Other Beneficiaries
If your Spouse dies or remarries, or if you do not have a surviving Spouse, any remaining balance in your RHA will be divided into separate sub-accounts for your other Beneficiaries. These Beneficiaries will be each of your surviving Dependent children who were designated by you in accordance with the Plan’s Beneficiary designation process. If you have no designated Beneficiary on file on the date of your death, each of your surviving children who were Dependents immediately prior to your death will become a Beneficiary. There are no other default Beneficiaries under the Plan.

Here are some options:

Use the funds to pay for community college, vocational school or other eligible post-secondary education.
Change the beneficiary to a sibling or other qualifying family member who will attend college.
Use the money to pay for your own continuing education.
Save the funds for a future grandchild.
Take a non-qualified withdrawal and pay income tax and a 10% penalty on the earnings portion of the withdrawal. Your contributions were made with after tax money and therefore will never be taxed or penalized.

I guess my beef with the VEBA or RHA or whatever the official name is, is that it is not optional. We get 1% taken out every month, and more if we exceed the B plan limits.

Some probably view the plan as a benefit. I do not. We should be able to choose.

So not incorrect, if you die, your wife dies, and you didn't have children or dependents, does the money go to the pilots estate or is donated back to the plan. I personally lower my contributions as to not go over the 415 53k limit. And take the money from my paycheck and invest other wise.

If no DEPENDENT children, and the wife is also deceased, then yes...remaining money (if any) goes back to the Trust. At least that's the way I understand it. I too try not to spill extra money into the RHA. I want some cash in there, just not too much.

They still have 16 months to get a deal so that we can snap up with them. That's actually a long time in the current construct of their negotiations. Delta management has no incentive to wait until after 1/1/18 to sign a deal since that would give UAL a competitive advantage via lower pilot pay. I believe they will get a deal done by spring at the latest.