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Notice to Pensioners - January 2010
For British Columbia Residents
Table of Contents
- Confidentiality of Information
- 2010 Annual Increase
- 2009 Tax Statements
- Withholding Tax From Your Pension
- Pension Income Splitting
- Marriage After Retirement
- Coordination of Benefits with the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans (CPP/QPP)
- Reminders
- Our Web Site
- Our new Mailing Address And Telephone Numbers
- Partial Reimbursement - Provincial Health Care Premiums
- Application Form for Provincial Health Care Rebate
Confidentiality of information
All information in our files is protected under the Privacy Act. If you wish to allow someone to receive information on your behalf, you must provide the Public Service Pension Centre (formerly the Public Service Pension Centre) with a written consent.
2010 Annual Increase
The rate of the annual increase for 2010 is 0.5%. If you retired before 2009, you will receive the full rate. If you retired during 2009, you will receive a prorated portion of the rate for 2010. This increase also applies to recipients of survivors' benefits. For more information on how the indexing is applied, please refer to the pamphlets entitled Your Public Service Pension and Benefits - Annuitants' Benefits, or Your Public Service Pension - Survivors' Benefits available on our Web site.
After choosing the Retired Member audience, simply click on Plan Information and the pamphlets can be found under the Publications page.
2009 Tax Statements
The annual tax statements will be released during the month of February. Please allow sufficient time for postal delivery. Requests for replacements can be made after March 15.
Withholding Tax From Your Pension
If you find yourself having to pay income tax every April 30, you may be able to reduce your net tax owing or reduce the amount of your installment payments by increasing the amount of tax withheld from your public service pension. To request that an additional amount be deducted at source from your pension, complete form TD1, Personal Tax Credits Return, and submit it to the Pension Centre. For more information, consult the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Web site.
Pension Income Splitting
Beginning with the 2007 income tax return, Canadian residents who are in receipt of eligible pension income can allocate up to one-half of their eligible income to their resident spouse or common-law partner for income tax purposes. For more information on what constitutes eligible income and on how to request income splitting, you may contact CRA at 1-800-959-8281 or visit their Web site.
Marriage After Retirement
Note: This article applies only to retired members and not their survivors and dependants.
If you marry after your retirement from the public service, you can choose to have survivor's benefits paid to your spouse following your death, subject to your pension being reduced. Information concerning this coverage, including estimates of the allowance and reduction amounts, can be obtained from the Pension Centre. You must apply for this coverage within one year from the date of your marriage or one year from the date your pension commences, whichever is later.
Coordination of Benefits with the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans (CPP/QPP)
Note: This article applies only to retired members and not their survivors and dependants.
When you retire from the public service, you become entitled to a lifetime pension. If you retire before age 65, you also receive a bridge benefit until age 65, when you become entitled to normal retirement benefits under the CPP or QPP. Please note that this bridge benefit stops earlier if you start receiving CPP or QPP disability benefits before age 65.
You must inform the Pension Centre immediately when you receive a disability benefit under the CPP or QPP. Failure to do so could result in an overpayment of your pension, which would have to be repaid.
Reminders
- Keep the January cheque stub or direct deposit statement for future reference. The next direct deposit statement will be issued when your net pension amount changes by $2.00 or more, or next January, whichever occurs first.
- Please ensure you have your Pension Number ready when contacting the Pension Centre. It is found on the cheque stub or the direct deposit statement. As well, our address and telephone numbers are on these documents.
- It is important that you provide the Pension Centre with accurate, up-to-date address and banking information to ensure that you continue to receive your payments and related information. Please verify whether the information on your January cheque or direct deposit statement is accurate and inform the Pension Centre if there are any errors or changes to be made. Address updates may be made in writing or by telephone with proper identification.
Our Web Site
Your Public Service Pension and Benefits Web portal contains information on a variety of topics of interest to retired members, their survivors and dependants. Simply choose Retired Member or Survivor-Dependant.
Our new Mailing Address And Telephone Numbers
Mailing Address
Public Service Pension Centre,
Mail Facility
150 Dion Blvd.
PO BOX 8000
Matane QC G4W 4T6
Telephone Numbers
Toll-free:
1-800-561-7930
Outside Canada and the United States:
0-506-533-5800 (collect calls accepted)
Telephone Teletype (TTY):
0-506-533-5990 (collect calls accepted)
Facsimile:
1-418-566-6298
Partial Reimbursement - Provincial
Health Care Premiums
You may be entitled to a partial refund if you (but not a family member or your employer) paid premiums directly to the British Columbia provincial health care plan, for 2009 coverage. The reimbursement is limited to the months during which you received a public service pension. The application, together with proof of payment, must be sent to us no later than June 30, 2010. Please note that if you had provincial health care premiums deducted from your monthly public service pension payment, the government has already paid 50% of the premiums and no further rebate is applicable.
To avoid having to apply for a partial refund every year, you can request that your provincial health care premiums be deducted from your public service pension payment. You may call the Pension Centre for more information.
Application Form for Provincial Health Care Rebate
Name: ___________________________________
Telephone: _________________________
Superannuation Number: __________________________
Applicant's Statement
I have personally paid the full amount of the premiums for which I am seeking reimbursement [see attached receipt(s)]. I have not made a similar application as either an employee or recipient of pension benefits from the Public Service of Canada, the Canadian Forces, or the RCMP. I understand that these benefits are taxable
Signature: _______________________________
Date: ___________________