Re-marrying or common-law—Survivor/child(ren)—Canadian Armed Forces pensions

Now that you have re-married or are in a new common-law relationship, you may be wondering whether you or your children are still entitled to a survivor benefits.

You may want to know

Does the survivor pension cease if I re-marry or start a new common-law relationship?

No. The survivor pension is payable for life and is not affected.

Is the payment of the child pension affected by re-marriage or the start of a new common-law relationship?

No. The child pension for an eligible child is paid until the he or she reaches age 18. Children who are age 18 or older can continue to receive a pension if they are attending school on a full-time basis until the child stops attending school full-time or turns age 25, whichever occurs first. Children receive a pension as long as they meet the definition of "child":

Child(ren) include(s) a child of the plan member conceived before the member reached age 60 or ceased to be a contributor, whichever happened later. This definition also includes an adopted or stepchild(ren) who was adopted or joined the family before the member reached age 60 or stopped being a member of the plan, whichever happens later, and who is/are:

  • younger than age 18 or
  • between ages 18 and 25, and in full-time attendance at a school, college, university or other educational institution that provides training or instruction of an educational, professional, vocational or technical nature

Can my new spouse or child(ren) be covered under the group insurance plans?

If you have opted for coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan or the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan as a survivor, you can apply for coverage for your new eligible spouse and/or children.

To do this, contact the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

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