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IF YOU DIE BEFORE YOU RETIRE

Benefits paid if you die before retiring depend on several factors.

The death benefit that your surviving spouse or cohabitating partner, or beneficiary, may be eligible to receive from the TPP will depend on whether you have fewer than, or more than, five years of pensionable service.


Regardless of your years of pensionable service, keeping your beneficiary designations up to date is critical to ensuring your death benefits are paid according to your wishes when you die.

When you don’t — or you haven’t — death benefits may be paid to someone you didn’t intend, or there could be significant delays in the distribution of benefits.

Fewer than 5 years of pensionable service

If you pass away before accumulating five years of pensionable service, the death benefit paid to your spouse or cohabitating partner (if you have one at that time), or to your beneficiary on file, will be equal to a refund of your contributions, with interest.

More than 5 years of pensionable service

If you have at least five years of pensionable service, your spouse or cohabitating partner can choose to receive:

Option 1 — A lifetime survivor pension

  • The pension is equal to 60% of the pension benefit earned up to the date you passed away.

  • The pension will be integrated with the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) as of the date you would have turned age 65.

Option 2 — A lump sum payment equal to the greater of…

  • The commuted value of your pension at the date you passed away, or

  • The commuted value of the 60% survivor pension earned up to the date you passed away.
  • Death benefits may be available to eligible dependent children, other dependents, designated beneficiaries, or your estate.

  • The availability of these benefits is based on individual circumstances.

To ensure your wishes are carried out as you would like, review and update (as needed) your beneficiary designations annually and/or any time you experience a Life Event by logging in to myPENSION.

And, refer to the Plan Member Guide, which includes additional details related to both death and survivor pension benefits.

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