How your beneficiaries will be paid

Learn how your beneficiary (or beneficiaries) will be paid after you die.

After you die, we will use the most recent information we have on file to identify your beneficiary(ies). This could include:

Nomination of beneficiary (pre-retirement) – paper form or online submission
Nomination of beneficiary (at retirement) – paper form or online submission
Nomination of beneficiary (for limited member) form
Change of beneficiary (for retired members) form
Your will

We will use your will to process payments and directly pay the named beneficiaries if both of the following apply to your will:

It was dated and signed more recently than any beneficiary nomination on file
It clearly names the Public Service Pension Plan

Once we have identified your beneficiary(ies), we will pay them their share of your pension benefit.

If you die before your earliest retirement age

If you die before your earliest retirement age, the plan will pay a pre-retirement death benefit to your beneficiary(ies).

If your spouse is your beneficiary, they can choose to receive either a monthly pension for their lifetime or a lump-sum payment of the commuted value of your pension.

If you have named a beneficiary other than your spouse, they will receive a lump-sum payment of the commuted value of your pension.

If you die after your earliest retirement age

If you die after your earliest retirement age, but before you start collecting a pension, the plan will pay a pre-retirement death benefit to your beneficiary(ies).

If your spouse is your beneficiary, they are entitled to a monthly pension for their lifetime.

If you do not have a spouse, or your spouse has waived their beneficiary rights, and you have named beneficiaries, they will receive a lump-sum payment of the commuted value of your pension.

If you die after you retire

If you chose a joint life pension option and die after you retire, your spouse will receive a monthly pension for the rest of their life.

If you chose a single life pension option and die during the guarantee period, your beneficiaries can choose either a monthly pension for the remainder of the guarantee period or a lump-sum payment of the commuted value of your pension benefit.

If you have named estates or organizations (such as societies, charities, trusts or corporations) as beneficiaries, they will receive a lump-sum payment of the commuted value of your pension benefit.