Survivor Benefit
The following information is intended to provide you, the Employer, with information regarding Survivor Benefits when the death of an active plan member occurs.
Reference to Compensation Advisor in the following text is the equivalent of an Employer representative.
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Introduction
The Government of Canada Pension Centre (Pension Centre) is now responsible for providing pension benefit counseling and information to the survivor, beneficiary or estate representative of a deceased public service pension plan member. This includes any lump sum or ongoing pension benefit and the one-time Supplementary Death Benefit (SDB) payment (if eligible).
When the employing department is advised of the death in service of a plan member, the Compensation Advisor refers the survivor or representative to "
Your Public Service Pension and Benefits" Web portal for general information on survivor benefits and advises him to contact the Pension Centre. Please provide a copy of the "
Contact Us - Your Public Service Pension and Benefits" information sheet to survivors or representatives without access to the Web.
The Compensation Advisors are responsible for ensuring that the Pension Centre is aware of the plan member's date of death and to input the Struck-Off-Strength (SOS) transaction. Compensation Advisors will also have to complete and forward to the Pension Centre the
Termination/Retirement Information form
PWGSC-TPSGC 2386 and the
Notification of Death in Service form
PWGSC-TPSGC 2014 as soon as they are notified that the member has passed away.
Survivor Benefit Entitlements
A
Death in Service (DIS) occurs when the plan member dies while still employed in the public service. A survivor benefit may be payable to the eligible survivor and/or children.
A
survivor refers to the person who, at the time of the plan member's death, was legally married to the plan member or was cohabitating with the plan member in a relationship of a conjugal nature (includes common-law and same sex partners) for at least one year prior to the date of death. A divorced spouse is not entitled to a survivor's pension, but a separated spouse usually retains entitlement to a survivor's pension.
A
child can be a plan member's natural child, stepchild, or adopted child, who at the time of the plan member's death was dependent on him for support. To be eligible for a child's allowance, a child must be:
- less than 18 years of age, or
- between 18 and 25 years of age and attending school or university full time, substantially without interruption, since reaching age 18 or since the plan member died, whichever occurred later.
When a plan member, who has less than two years of pensionable service, dies while employed in the public service, the survivor and/or children are entitled jointly to a Return of Contributions (ROC) plus interest.
When a plan member, who has two years or more of pensionable service, dies while employed in the public service, a survivor's and/or child's allowance is payable.
Survivor Benefits
The table below outlines the different survivor benefits available under various circumstances where the plan member had 2 years or more of pensionable service.
CircumstancesEntitlement
Survivor onlySurvivor's allowance
(1 % X average salary X years of pensionable service)
Survivor and childrenSurvivor's allowance
Child's allowance for each child (one-fifth of the survivor's allowance up to a maximum of four fifths.)
Children only (no survivor)Child's allowance for each child
(two-fifths of the survivor's allowance up to a maximum of eight fifths.)
No eligible survivor or childrenGreater of a ROC plus interest or amount equal to five years' basic pension (Guaranteed Five Year Minimum).
Amounts are paid either to a beneficiary named under the SDB Plan or to the estate.