Trasfering CAF pension to RCMP pension.

[Double-R]

Can anyone give me a very general idea on what the process is like transferring CAF contributions to the RCMP pension plan?  As well at what point would one do this ie. during the release process or at depot?

 

[mariomike]

"Transferring Pension Credits to the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or Other Pension Plans

A member who is leaving the Canadian Forces and is becoming part of the PSSA, RCMP or other pension plan (i.e. Air Canada Pension Plan, Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP), NAV Canada Pension Plan, Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), Ontario Pension Board (OPB), Special Forces Pension Plan (SFPP)), has the opportunity to transfer his/her past service credits from the Regular or Reserve Force to these pension plans.

A member who would like to transfer Canadian Forces pension credits to another pension plan must complete the required form. The form to complete depends on which pension plan the pension credits are being transferred to:

PSSA – a member transferring his/her credits to the PSSA pension plan must complete the CFSA/RCMPSA Report of Pensionable Service (2073 form).
RCMP – a member transferring his/her credits to the RCMP pension plan must complete the Prior Service Information Request (1889) form. A member transferring his/her credits to the RCMP should consult with his/her compensation department to obtain the appropriate forms and required documentation.
Air Canada, LAPP, NAV Canada, OMERS, OPB, SFPP, and other pension plans – a member transferring his/her credits to any of these pension plans should consult with his/her compensation department to obtain the appropriate forms and required documentation."
http://army.ca/forums/threads/111386/post-1243335#msg1243335


"Has anyone gone RCMP and transferred there military pension over. If so, can anyone explane the process."
http://army.ca/forums/threads/30934/post-832851#msg832851

"When you are about a month from graduation of Depot, you fill in all sorts of forms (insurance, dental etc).  One of these is a statement of past federal service.  This form is self explainatory.  I had 3 months of militia time, which I had paid back, and 15 and a half yrs of Reg F.  I filled in all of this service and once the transfer of funds was complete, received a cheque for my militia time.  The explanation was only full time service counted.  BTW, you can also transfer ypour RCMP pension back to the CFSA.....done that too."

"Further to what Bick stated, make sure that you complete this paperwork in Depot and make a copy of it. You will then be buying back at your initial entry level Cst. rate of pay. If you wait till later or they lose the paperwork (Our pension is outsourced and managed by Morneau Sobeco they are impossible to deal with) you WILL pay it back at the rate you are being paid at that time. I should preface that this mostly applies to folks with a lot of PRes time."

 

[bick]

Inform your release clerk about your wishes, but you are not a member of the RCMP until you grad from Depot. When you are in your final few days at Depot, you will fill out all the forms to do this.  It is an easy process. BTW, you can only transfer full time service.

 

[Double-R]

Thanks

 

[bick]

No worries. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM.

All the best.

 

[Mike5]

Is anyone aware of anyone doing the reverse?  i.e. transferring a private-sector pension into a CAF pension (Reserve or Reg?) -- either by transfer or cashing in the private-sector pension and buying into the CAF plan?  I believe a private-sector pension can be converted to a RIF but I don't think it is possible to convert a RIF into a CAF pension?

 

[RADOPSIGOPACCISOP]

Is anyone aware of anyone doing the reverse?  i.e. transferring a private-sector pension into a CAF pension (Reserve or Reg?) -- either by transfer or cashing in the private-sector pension and buying into the CAF plan?  I believe a private-sector pension can be converted to a RIF but I don't think it is possible to convert a RIF into a CAF pension?

Given that the CAF pension is a defined benefit pension plan, I don't think you can just carry over contributions. The reason why the RCMP part works is because also being federal government they will allow you to transfer the value of the pension along with the pensionable years. That way after transfering 4 years from RCMP to the CAF, after 25 years in the military you retire with a 29 year pension (ie 58%).

I know that some provincial pension plans can be transfered to federal government pension plans (often with you having to buy back the difference).

Talk to your OR, but unless it's a defined benefit plan I don't think it would be possible, even if it is, I don't think the federal government will transfer private pension plans.

 

[dapaterson]

The CFSA spells out what can be bought back or transferred in, describing it as "elective service". This aplies only to part I, the Reg F plan; you can't bring over other service into part I.1, the Res F plan.

For those with a penchant for legalese,

(b) elective service, comprising,

(i) in the case of a contributor who, immediately before March 1, 1960, was a contributor under Part V of the former Act,

(A) any period of service for which he elected under that Part to pay, and

(B) any period of service for which he might have elected, under the provisions of that Part in force immediately before March 1, 1960, to pay, if he elects, within the time prescribed by those provisions, to pay for that service, and

(ii) in the case of any contributor,

(A) any period of service during which he was employed in the public service on a full-time basis and was in receipt of salary, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service, and any period of service with any board, commission, corporation in, or portion of, the federal public administration that is added to Schedule I to the Public Service Superannuation Act on or after March 1, 1960, during which he was employed on a full-time basis and was in receipt of salary, if he elects, within one year of such addition, to pay for that service,

(B) any period of service as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(C) any period of service on active service during time of war in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(D) any period of service in the Canadian Army Special Force established by Order in Council P.C. 3860 of August 7, 1950 made under the National Defence Act, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(E) any period of full-time service during time of war between such dates as are fixed by the regulations in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty other than those raised by Canada, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(F) any period of full-time service during time of war or otherwise in the permanent naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty other than those raised by Canada, except any such service that may be counted by him under clause (E), if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(G) any continuous period of full-time service of three months or more in the Canadian Forces or in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, other than the regular force, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(H) one-fourth of any period of service in the Canadian Forces or in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, other than the regular force, during which he was liable to be called out for periodic training or duty by the Governor in Council otherwise than during an emergency, except any such service that may be counted by him under clause (C) or (G), if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(I) any period of service that may be counted by him as pensionable service pursuant to section 18 of the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, chapter C-9 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or section 42 or sections 43 to 48 of this Act,

(J) any period of service in respect of which he was entitled to be paid a return of contributions or other lump sum payment under this Act or Part V of the former Act, if he elects, within one year of subsequently becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(K) any period of service described in this paragraph for which he might have elected, under this Act, Part V of the former Act, the Civil Service Superannuation Act, the Public Service Superannuation Act, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act or any order in council made under The Canadian Forces Act, 1950, as amended by the Canadian Forces Act, 1954, to pay, but for which he failed so to elect within the time prescribed therefor, if he elects, at any time before he ceases to be a member of the regular force, to pay for that service, and

(L) any period of service in respect of which the contributor makes an election under subsection 6.1(1), if the contributor elects, at any time before the contributor ceases to be a member of the regular force, to pay for that service.

 

[Ostrozac]

Does anyone have any experience with the "Max 35 years" policy in the Federal Public Service?

This is the scenario I'm thinking: member joins the CF at age 20, releases at age 45 -- immediate annuity, 25 year pension. Immediately joins the Federal Public Service -- serves 20 years, retires at age 65.

Now, I understand the the member can only pay into the Public Service Pension Plan for the first 10 years of his time as a federal civilian employee, because he's restricted to a 35 year pension in total, and when he retires he will receive a 10 year pension from the public service -- but is that 10 year pension based on the best five years out of the first 10 years of service (when he was actually paying into the plan) or would the "best five" calculation include the last 10 years of total service (when he was more senior, but wasn't actually paying into the pension plan)?

 

[Pusser]

BTW, you can only transfer full time service.

But, can you purchase the part time service?  When transferring into the Reg Force from the Reserve (prior to the Reserve Pension Plan coming into effect anyway), you certainly could.  Part time service was credited at 1/4.

As for collecting a CFSA benefit, based on say, 25 years CF service, after joining the Public Service, my understanding is that you would pay into the PSSA for a further ten years, then you pay "maintenance" (a small fee: $100/mo last I checked) for the remainder of your time in the PS.  Upon retirement from the PS, your PSSA benefit would be based on your best five years, which would likely be the last five years.  In other words, not restricted to only those years when you were making full contributions.  In effect, you never stop making contributions in the later years, as you are still paying maintenance.

 

[dapaterson]

Once you pass 35 years, you pay 1% of earnings into the pension plan.

Your best 5 years includes the years where you pay at 1%.

You can't transfer part time CFSA service to the PSSA.

 

[Pusser]

Thanks for the clarification.