When you can retire

Learn how your age at retirement affects your pension.

Your age at retirement

The age at which you apply for your pension will affect the amount of your lifetime monthly pension payment. Different rules apply to regular members, ambulance paramedics and correctional members.

Regular members may apply for their pension as early as age 55.

• Public safety members may apply for their pension as early as age 50. Public safety members include regular part-time and full-time ambulance paramedics in CUPE Local 873 and correctional officers, probation officers and youth probation officers employed in a correctional centre with BC Corrections.

If you retire before your normal retirement age, your age and years of contributory service will determine if you are eligible for an unreduced pension.

If you do not apply to start your unreduced pension when you are eligible, you will not be entitled to have your pension backdated to a previous date. You are responsible for choosing the date your pension will start and you must apply to start your pension.

Regardless of your occupation, you must begin receiving your pension no later than the end of the year in which you turn 71, even if you are still working.

Sign in to My Account and use the personalized Pension Estimator to find out what your monthly pension might be based on your salary and years of service.

You may want to talk to an independent financial advisor about which start date is best for you and your situation.