Types of plan members

Regardless of occupation, there are four types of plan members: active, retired, inactive and limited. Learn what this means.

The four types of plan members are:

• Active
• Inactive
• Retired
• Limited

You are an active member if you are currently working and contributing to BC's Teachers' Pension Plan. You remain an active member while on an approved leave of absence or receiving benefits from an approved group disability plan.

You are an inactive member if you no longer work for an employer covered by the Teachers' Pension Plan and you decide to leave your contributions in the plan until you retire.

You are a retired member when you stop working for an employer covered by the plan and you begin collecting your pension. If you are receiving a survivor's or limited member's pension, you are considered a retired member.

You may be considered active and retired at the same time if you are currently working and contributing to the plan, and also receiving a survivor's or limited member's pension.

If you are a former spouse of a plan member and entitled to a portion of their pension, you can apply to become a limited member after your separation or divorce. As a limited member, you can receive your share of your former spouse's pension directly from the plan when your former spouse reaches their earliest retirement age.