Pension & Retirement

You may use the Carleton Retirement Planner to review your pension details and to calculate  pension estimates.  Review the Retirement Planner User Guide for details.

If you become sick, you continue to make pension contributions.

If you become disabled and are receiving benefits from the Long-Term Disability Plan, you will continue to participate in the Retirement Plan and the required contributions to the plan will be made on your behalf at no cost to you.

If you remain disabled and receive disability benefits up to age 65, the Minimum Guarantee Pension will still apply. It will be based on your years of service, including the years you were disabled, your earnings at the time you became disabled, adjusted by the cost of living up to three percent annually on July 1 each year following your date of disability. Your beneficiary or estate will receive benefits according to the form of pension payment you chose at retirement.

If you die after retirement, then the benefits payable will be in accordance with the provision of the applicable form of pension that you chose.

If you die after retirement and prior to the expiry of any applicable guarantee period, the designated beneficiary will receive any remaining monthly payments until the end of the guarantee period. The beneficiary may elect to receive the commuted valuate of the remaining instalments in a lump sum cash payment.

If you die before retirement, your beneficiary or estate will receive the greater of the commuted value of your Minimum Guarantee pension or the balance in your Money Purchase Component Account (both Employee plus Employer portions and investment earnings) plus your Voluntary contributions Account, if applicable.

In the absence of a waiver signed by your spouse, the pre-retirement death benefit will be paid to your spouse, not to your beneficiary if other than your spouse. This is required by legislation.

On termination of employment at Carleton University you have the following options regarding your pension monies:

• Leave pension monies in the plan to accrue interest until retirement age or transfer out at a future date
• Transfer the monies from the plan to a LIRA (locked-in RRSP) account with your bank
• Transfer the monies to your next employer’s pension plan if that plan’s administrator will accept the monies
• In some cases the small pension rule may apply, then monies can be taken in cash or transferred to an RRSP

Within 30 to 40 days of your last day of employment at Carleton, a Statement and Election of Benefits on Termination of Employment will be mailed to you. 

You will then have an additional 90 days to make your decision once you are in receipt of the Statement.

Please ensure your mailing address is correct and provide a personal email address prior to leaving/terminating from Carleton University.

Your surviving spouse and eligible dependants may continue “survivor” benefits coverage if they were covered under your plan while you were alive.

Your separated spouse may continue coverage in the extended and dental (if applicable) plan if this is stipulated in the separation agreement. Any eligible dependants’ coverage continues.

What happens to my retiree benefits if I get divorced after I retire?

Your ex-spouse’s extended and dental (if applicable) coverage terminates on date of the the divorce.  Any eligible dependants’ coverage continues.

You can not add any spouse (legal or common-law) or other dependants to your plan after you retire.

You may elect to continue to contribute to the pension plan. You will be required to pay both your regular contributions and those of the employer.

You may continue to make your regular pension contributions during this leave.