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Are your benefits accrued under RREGOP partitioned when you separate?

Are Your Benefits Accrued Under RREGOP Partitioned When you Separate?

Here is what your pension plan, RREGOP, provides if you separate.

Partition of benefits based on the type of union

Partition of your benefits accrued under RREGOP with your spouse depends on your type of union:

If you are married or in a civil union the benefits you accrued under a pension plan during your union are part of the family patrimony. The benefits can therefore be partitioned between you and your spouse based on the decision rendered by the tribunal and stipulated in the judgment of divorce.
For RREGOP, partition is not carried out automatically. You could therefore decide together not to partition your benefits accrued under your pension plans, in exchange for other assets or compensation.
If you are in a de facto union, the partition of your benefits is carried out on a voluntary basis since there is no family patrimony for this type of union. You must agree, using a written agreement, of the way your benefits will be partitioned. The agreement must be drawn up by your notary or attorney, or must be subject to a sworn statement. The agreement must be drawn up within 12 months following the end of the period of cohabitation.

Impact of partition of benefits on a pension

If you partition your benefits under RREGOP, the retirement pension you will receive will be reduced for life to take into account the sum that was transferred to your former spouse. The amount of the reduction will be indicated on your Statement of Benefits, which you can request from Retraite Québec once you have begun the separation process. It shows the value of the benefits you accrued under your pension plan.

There is a limit to partition of your benefits under RREGOP, regardless of your type of union. Your former spouse can receive a maximum of 50% of the benefits accrued during all your years of membership under your pension plan. This means that you will keep at least 50% of your benefits accrued under your pension plan if you separate.

If you decide to partition your benefits, you must file an Application for Payment of the Value of Accrued Benefits Under a Public-Sector Pension Plan with Retraite Québec. The amount of the reduction that will apply to your pension will be confirmed in the letter you will receive afterwards. Regarding your former spouse, Retraite Québec will transfer the amount allocated to him or her to a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), a registered retirement income fund (RRIF), a life income fund (LIF), a locked-in retirement account (LIRA) or an annuity contract, in his or her name, at the financial institution of his or her choice. Following partition, the pension estimates indicated on your Statement of Participation will take into account the reduction.

Now you know how your benefits accrued under your pension plan can be partitioned. Consult the Pension plans and partition web page to find out the steps to take that apply to your situation. To find out the rules and possibilities related to the Québec Pension Plan, consult the What is the impact of a separation on your retirement? web page.