This is purely an economic question, not a legal one. $300 per month is $3,600 per year, so the break even for her would be (ignoring for simplicity the effects of inflation and the time value of money) three-and-third years, or 40 months. Right now, average female life expctancy is around 78 years, so if she were to live anything like that, she'd come out substantially behind with the buyout (which is why it's offered to her; the company expects ot save money by buying her out): if she were to live to 78, she'd receive around $46,000 in pension benefits. Statistically, it's a bad bet--even if she only lives to 70, she'd come out behind with the buyout by around $6,000. So on statistics, she should not take it, and she should consider that the company is only offering it to her because they believe that the buyout is less than she'd get through the normal payments.