Three Levels of Protection
Members

Three Levels of Protection

At retirement, you can elect to increase the pension your qualifying spouse will receive to 80 or 100 per cent of what you are receiving at your death (excluding bridge and transition benefits).

The cost of these optional forms of pension is an actuarial reduction in your pension, based on your age and the age of your spouse at retirement. You'll receive the exact cost of these options at the time you apply to retire.

The chart below explains how this works.

If You Select You Will Get Your surviving qualifying spouse will get*
Normal form
of pension
No reduction in your basic lifetime pension 60% of your basic lifetime pension
80%
spousal benefit option
A reduction in your basic lifetime pension, based on the difference between your age and your spouse's age 80% of your basic lifetime pension
100%
spousal benefit option
A larger reduction in your basic lifetime pension, based on the difference between your age and your spouse's age 100% of your basic lifetime

* Bridge and transition benefits are not payable to your spouse.