Frequently asked questions—Active member—Canadian Armed Forces pensions

The Government of Canada Pension Centre is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Canadian Armed Forces Pension Plans. The delivery of all pension services for active and retired plan members have been centralized to the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

The type of pension benefit you receive depends on whether you are a member of the Regular Force Pension Plan or Reserve Force Pension Plan, as well as your age and pensionable service or on your Canadian Forces (CF) service.

• If you are in the Regular Force Pension Plan, your pension is calculated using set formulas:
  • The lifetime pension formula uses your pensionable service and average earnings
  • The bridge benefit formula uses the average Year's Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE) or your average earnings (whichever is lower) and your pensionable service

Annual lifetime pension: Regular Force

Annual bridge benefit paid until you reach age 65 or until you become eligible for a Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan disability pension: Regular Force

• If you are in the Reserve Force Pension Plan, your pension is calculated using formulas:
  • The lifetime pension formula uses your pensionable service and average earnings
  • The bridge benefit formula uses the average Year's Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE) or your average earnings (whichever is lower) and your pensionable service

Annual lifetime pension: Reserve Force

Annual bridge benefit paid until you reach age 65 or until you become eligible for a Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan disability pension: Reserve Force

For more information about your benefits when you release, visit the Active Member  page, click on the audience specific to your plan and select the ‘Release' Life Event.

Regular Force members and Class "C" Reserve members who are serving or receiving a pension are eligible to participate in the Supplementary Death Benefit (SDB) plan.

If you are a participant in the Supplementary Death Benefit (SDB) plan, you may designate one of the following as your beneficiary:

• any person who is age 18 or older at the time you make the designation
• your estate
• any registered charitable or benevolent organization or institution
• any educational or religious organization, or institution that is supported by donations

To designate a beneficiary, you must complete the Naming or Substitution of a Beneficiary form. You can only designate one beneficiary on the form. If you wish to designate more than one beneficiary, designate your estate on the form, and then set out your beneficiaries in your Will.

For more information about the SDB plan, visit the Supplementary Death Benefit page.

Regular Force members automatically join the Regular Force Pension Plan when they enrol in the Regular Force. You remain in the plan until the earlier of:

• your release from the Regular Force
• your death

Reserve Force members join the Reserve Force Pension Plan automatically after earning 10% of the Year's Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE) in two consecutive 12-month periods. The Government of Canada Pension Centre notifies you once you have met the criteria to join the plan. You remain in the plan until you:

• release or retire from the Reserve Force, or your death
• do not have any earnings for 12 months
• join the Regular Force
• qualify for the Regular Force Pension Plan

Reserve Force members automatically join the Regular Force Pension Plan once they accumulate 1,674 days (55 months) of Canadian Forces (CF) service within a period of 60 consecutive months. Usually, you first join the Reserve Force Pension Plan when you have met the criteria to join that plan and then the Regular Force Pension Plan.

Once you join the Regular Force Pension Plan, you remain in that plan – even if you no longer serve full-time – until you:

• release or retire from the Reserve or Regular Force, or die
• do not have any Reserve Force earnings for 12 months

For specific information about what types of service you can buy back as a Regular or Reserve Force member under the Regular Force Pension Plan or as a participant in the Reserve Force Pension Plan, visit the Active Member page, click on the audience specific to your plan, and select the ‘Increasing Your Pension' Life Event. You can also find more information about buying back previous service by visiting the Service buyback package page.

The type of pension benefit you receive depends on whether you are part of the Regular Force Pension Plan or Reserve Force Pension Plan and on your years of pensionable service.  For detailed information about the benefits that may be available to you if you are disabled at the time of your release, visit the Active Member page, click on the audience specific to your plan, and select the ‘Disability' Life Event.

If you get married – submit your marriage certificate, a copy of the birth certificate(s) of your new spouse and any children to the Government of Canada Pension Centre. If either of you were previously married, you will also need to submit proof of the termination of the previous marriage(s) in the form of a death certificate or a Divorce Decree Absolute.

If you begin a common-law relationship (same sex or opposite sex) – provide the Government of Canada Pension Centre with a letter confirming your common-law relationship and a copy of the birth certificate(s) of your common-law partner and any children.

For more information about what to do if your marital status changes, visit the Active Member page, click on the audience specific to your plan, and select the ‘Getting married/Common-law' Life Event.

Submit copies of your separation agreement or divorce decree to the Government of Canada Pension Centre. If your common-law relationship has ended, send the Government of Canada Pension Centre a letter providing them with the information.

Include your Service Number (SN) or your Pension Number on all documents you send to the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

For more information about what to do in the event of a divorce or separation, visit the Active Member page, click on the audience specific to your plan, and select the ‘Divorce/Separation' Life Event.