What do I have to do if my conjugal status changes?
Retraite Québec contributes to Quebeckers' financial well-being from birth to retirement. As for other life events, you must contact us in the event of a union or separation in order to update your file.
In an effort to simplify the way you find information and the steps to take, we have grouped all the key information under the Union and Separation tab, at the top of our website's homepage.
We wish to provide you with an overview of what is good to know on the matter.
In Québec, the
notion of spouse and the types of unions may vary depending on the applicable laws, government programs and pension plans.
Steps to take in the event of a union
I am now in a de facto union, married or in a civil union...
... and I do not have any children under age 18.
You do not need to inform us of your union. Your personal file will automatically be updated when Revenu Québec informs us of your conjugal status on 31 December of each year.
... and I have one or more children under age 18.
You must inform us of your union. The amount of Family Allowance you receive will be calculated based on your new conjugal status. This step will avoid you from receiving overpayments and from having to repay them.
First steps to take in the event of separation
I am separating from my spouse whereas we were in a de facto union, married or in a civil union...
Two elements determine the rules for partition of accrued benefits and employment earnings recorded under the names of each partner during the union:
the type of pension plan and the type of union.
Married or civilly united spouses can partition their employment earnings recorded under the Québec Pension Plan and their benefits accrued under a pension plan. It is the case where there is a separation from bed and board (legal separation), divorce, nullity of marriage, dissolution or nullity of the civil union.
Spouses whose de facto union is recognized may also partition their employment earnings recorded under the Québec Pension Plan and their benefits accrued under a pension plan by entering into an agreement to that effect.
You can request, free of charge, an assessment for partition of the benefits accrued under a pension plan. Married or civilly united spouses may request the Statement of Benefits at any time in the separation process. Former de facto spouses have 12 months after they stopped living together to sign an agreement regarding partition of the value of benefits accrued under their plan.
The application for a Statement of Benefits does not bind you to anything. Finding out the value of the benefits allows you
to make an informed decision before a judgment is rendered.
After the assessment, each person concerned by the partition process will receive a detailed and personalized written confirmation from the pension plan administrator concerned.
... and I have one or more children under age 18.
You must also take steps in order to update your file. This step allows each eligible parent to obtain his or her portion of Family Allowance payments. It also avoids a parent from having to repay overpayments following a change in his or her family situation.
The steps to take are different depending on whether you are currently
receiving Family Allowance in your name or not. The time your child spends with you in a given month is also a factor taken into consideration in the calculation of Family Allowance. To estimate your custody time, use our calculation tool.
Whether you are in a union or undergoing a separation, we hope that our tools will make your life easier.