Deciding whether to take a $400,000 lump sum or monthly pension benefit of$2,000 requires calculating the relative value of each option. Generally speaking, the sooner you can receive the lump sum, the more value it will have since you can invest it over a longer period. The monthly payment option may be more valuable if you expect to live a long time after you start receiving benefits. Other factors include inflation, your additional sources of income and how prudently you can manage a large sum of money ...