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Your employer has notified us that your employment ended on October 1, 2020. We have prepared this pension options
package to outline the choices that are available to you for your:
OMERS Primary Pension Plan ("OMERS Plan") defined benefit pension
You will receive a separate options document for your OMERS additional voluntary contributions (AVC) account.
NOTES AND INFORMATION - explanations to help you understand your pension options; and
Note that any dollar amounts shown in this document are as of October 1, 2020.
Next steps
Review your options carefully and make the choice that is right for you. Financial decisions about your pension are
important.
Seek the advice of a qualified financial adviser if you need help in making your decision.
Send the completed and signed election form for the option you choose (and any other required documents) to
OMERS, EY Tower, 900-100 Adelaide St W, Toronto, Ontario M5H 0E2 or fax it to 1.416.369.9704 or 1.877.369.9704
(toll-free).
IMPORTANT | Please return your completed election form and any other required documents by
April 6, 2021.
If you do not return your election by that date, your pension election will be automatically recorded as
a deferred pension (see Option 1), and some options may no longer be available to you.
On that date, if we learn that you have re-enrolled in the OMERS Plan, we will automatically merge your
current pension record with your new one under a single membership (subject to the conditions
described under the option "Combine your current and future OMERS pension"). This will eliminate all
other pension options until you once again terminate employment.
Notice about 2020 payment from OMERS: If you would like your payment to be processed in the 2020
calendar year, we must have received your completed election form and all supporting documents no later than
November 30, 2020. If we receive your election documents after this date, your election may be held for
processing until January 2021.
For detailed information about OMERS pension benefits, we invite you to visit www.omers.com at any time.
Thank you.
You can leave your OMERS Plan pension with OMERS as a deferred pension, payable from April 30, 2031 when you
reach your normal retirement age of 60.
You will also receive a bridge benefit, in addition to the pension shown above, payable from April 30, 2031 until age
65.
Annual amount Monthly amount
The last payment of your bridge benefit will be the first day of the month in which you turn 65.
You can start your pension as early as age 50, subject to the early retirement reduction rules explained in the OMERS
member handbook, Your OMERS Pension.
Effective January 1, 2013, benefit calculation changes affect members whose employment ends and who are not yet
eligible for an early retirement pension - that is, those who are not within 10 years of their normal retirement age. For
details, see "Benefit calculation changes" in NOTES AND INFORMATION.
IMPORTANT | Option 1 is the default option. If we don't receive your election form by April 6, 2021,
we will automatically defer your pension until your normal retirement date.
An OMERS Plan pension is a valuable benefit that includes inflation protection and excellent survivor benefits. Keeping
your pension with OMERS (as a deferred pension) gives you future options, such as receiving an early or normal
retirement pension from the OMERS Plan. It also enables you to keep your AVC account open and make fund transfers
into it.
Check here to choose Option 1: Keep your pension in the OMERS Plan as a deferred pension
If you already have or you are going to take a job with another OMERS employer, you may be able to combine your entire
pension record under a single membership with your new OMERS employer.
IMPORTANT
Your new OMERS employer will re-enrol you in the Plan. However, if your new employer doesn't send
us your enrolment forms by April 6, 2021, then we will defer your pension.
If your termination date with your current employer is after your enrolment date with your new
employer, we may not be able to combine your old and new member records. If this is the case, we will
contact you to discuss your options.
Check here to choose Option 2: Combine your current and future OMERS pension
If you are moving to a non-OMERS employer, you may be able to transfer your OMERS Plan pension into your new
employer's defined benefit registered pension plan (RPP). Your new RPP would have to approve the transfer and the
transfer would have to meet all conditions set out in the plan provisions and legislation applicable to the type of transfer.
If you are interested in this option, please note that there are strict deadlines that apply to transfers to other RPPs. The
prompt return of your election form is important.
Check here to choose Option 3: Transfer your pension out of OMERS to another defined benefit pension plan
Provide the name of your new employer and your new defined benefit registered pension plan.
Once we receive your election form, we'll send you more information and a transfer form to complete. If the transfer is not
completed, or if you change your mind, some options may no longer be available to you.
You can transfer all or part of the commuted value of your OMERS Plan pension into a locked-in retirement account
(LIRA), a life income fund (LIF), or your new employer's DC pension plan (if that plan allows the transfer). (If you prefer,
you can ask OMERS to transfer your commuted value to a Canadian life insurance company for the purchase of a life
annuity - see the election form.)
The commuted value of your OMERS Plan pension is the amount of tax-deferred money you would have to put aside
today, to grow with investment earnings, to provide a future benefit like your OMERS Plan pension.
If you select this option, you will also receive a cash refund that will include:
the portion of your commuted value that exceeds the maximum transfer value (see the note below the table)
Difference between the commuted value and maximum transfer value (paid as
$702,887.40
a cash refund):
Expiry date. You have until this date to choose this option. April 6, 2021
* The federal Income Tax Act specifies the maximum amount of the commuted value of your benefit that you can transfer to an RRSP tax-free (that is,
you do not need RRSP room to receive it). The maximum transfer value depends in part on your age, so OMERS will recalculate this value as of the
date we pay it. On that date, if your commuted value exceeds the maximum transfer value, the difference will be paid to you by cheque (less tax).
IMPORTANT | After April 6, 2021, this option will no longer be available to you.
If you choose this option:
and rejoin OMERS after January 1, 2020, you will have to wait five years before you can buy back the
service associated with this commuted value (or commuted value of small pension, as applicable)
you forfeit all your rights to an OMERS Plan pension
you assume all investment risk for your commuted value amount - it could increase or decrease
you will lose the option to participate in OMERS additional voluntary contributions (AVCs)
you may qualify for a pension adjustment reversal (PAR), which may give you more RRSP room. If you
have a PAR, we will send you a T10 tax slip after your transfer is processed.
Check here to choose Option 4: Transfer the commuted value of your pension to a prescribed retirement
arrangement or a defined contribution (DC) plan
Where would you like to send your commuted value transfer (locked-in)?
Check one:
Transfer the commuted value to a LIRA, LIF, or DC pension plan. (You must complete a Form T2151 - Direct transfer
of a single amount (enclosed), and check the box for "Commuted value benefit (within tax limits, if applicable)"
Transfer the commuted value to an insurance company to purchase an annuity (OMERS will contact you to obtain
further information)
Certification of receiving plan or institution / Direction to administrator (to be completed by receiving plan)
The following certification must be completed and signed before you send OMERS this election form. The financial
institution that holds your LIRA or LIF, or the trustee or administrator of the DC plan, whichever is applicable, must
complete the declaration.
Administrator's name
I,
and I consent to accept the transfer of the commuted value of the pension of
Applicant's name
from OMERS. I consent to administer the transferred funds in accordance with the Ontario Pension Benefits Act and the
regulations under it, as the same may be amended from time to time.
If you will be applying to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to tax shelter a portion of your OMERS benefit, you are
required to submit the letter of approval from the CRA to OMERS by the expiry date listed in this Pension Options Form.
For more information please contact the CRA.
Note: OMERS will not accept a notice of assessment (NOA) in place of the letter of approval from the CRA.
The following is your personal pension information as it appears in OMERS records. Please review it carefully because
your pension benefits are based on this information. If anything is incorrect, contact OMERS Client Services, Monday to
Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., at 1.416.369.2444 or 1.800.387.0813.
MEMBER INFORMATION
Name Birthdate
For more information about OMERS survivor benefits, please see NOTES AND INFORMATION.
RECENT INFORMATION
Your employer reported the following information as of October 1, 2020. It is an update to the information reported on your
last Pension Report.
2020
Contributory earnings: $83,273.28
Your OMERS Plan pension has two components: a lifetime pension (payable for life) and a bridge benefit (payable only
until you reach age 65). The bridge benefit is not affected if you decide to start your Canada Pension Plan (CPP) pension
early (from age 60) or if you begin to receive a CPP disability pension.
Total: $50,631.57
Before your pension starts, your pension based on pre-2013 service will grow with inflation; your pension based on post-
2012 service will not. Your entire pension will grow with inflation after you retire, as described in the OMERS member
handbook, Your OMERS Pension.
See "Benefit calculation changes" in NOTES AND INFORMATION to learn more about the difference between pre-2013 and post-2012 service in the
OMERS Plan.
Your OMERS Plan pension is based on your credited service in the OMERS Plan and the average of your highest 60
consecutive months ("best five" years) of contributory earnings.
Credited service
Credited service includes service you earn by making regular contributions to the OMERS Plan and any service you've
purchased.
Months Years
Contributory earnings
Contributory earnings are earnings on which we calculate contributions. Overtime pay and discretionary payments are not
included, so your contributory earnings may not be the same as the employment income shown on your T4A tax slip.
Average $106,588.30
To determine your "best five" earnings, partial years may have been used at the beginning and end of the 60 consecutive
months. Consequently, your "best five" earnings may span more than five calendar years.
Instructions
Complete the following information or enclose a blank cheque marked "void" if you want us to automatically deposit any
lump-sum cash refund or pension payments directly to your account at a bank or other financial institution.
Do not use this form for payments going to a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), a registered retirement income
fund (RRIF), a registered pension plan (RPP), a locked-in retirement account (LIRA), or a life income fund (LIF).
Early retirement
You can start your pension as early as age 50.
Early retirement subsidies affect your eligibility for an unreduced OMERS early retirement pension and the amount of
reduction applied to your pension if you don't meet the unreduced early retirement criteria.
The pre-2013 portion of your early retirement pension may not be reduced if:
your age plus credited service plus eligible service equals 85 (the 85 Factor); or
your credited service plus eligible service equals at least 30 years.
The post-2012 portion of your early retirement pension will always be reduced if you retire early.
Marriage Breakdown
You and/or your former spouse are responsible for providing OMERS with timely and relevant documentation
(e.g., court order, family arbitration award, domestic contract and prescribed forms) that would impact the normal
administration of your benefits from the Plan. OMERS can only administer benefits based on complete
documentation that is brought to our attention (i.e., filed with OMERS). If all or part of the benefit has been paid
from the Plan, then the amounts paid will cease to be available for apportionment for family law purposes.
Inflation protection
Before your pension starts, your pension based on the pre-2013 credited service is protected against inflation; the
portion based on post-2012 credited service is not.
As soon as your pension starts, your entire pension is protected against inflation. The annual inflation increase
(maximum 6%) is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). (Note: In the first year of your pension, you may receive
a pro-rated increase or no increase, depending on the month in which your pension began.)
For more information, please visit the "Inflation protection" section of the online OMERS member handbook, Your
OMERS Pension, at www.omers.com.
Survivor benefits
Your beneficiary designation applies to benefits payable under the OMERS Plan.
When an OMERS Plan member dies, survivor benefits are paid according to a specified order of entitlement that
follows the provisions of the Ontario Pension Benefits Act.
If you die before pension payments begin, and...
You have an eligible spouse...
Your spouse can elect a pension that is 66 2/3% of your OMERS Plan lifetime pension earned to your date of
death (not including your bridge benefit, if any). If the pension is elected and you also have eligible dependent
children, OMERS will pay a further 10% of your lifetime pension for each child. The combined amount cannot
exceed 100% of your lifetime pension.
In place of the entire benefit described above, your eligible spouse may elect a one-time lump-sum refund
(less tax), or your spouse may decide to transfer the lump sum on a tax-deferred basis to a registered
retirement savings plan (RRSP), a registered pension plan (RPP), or a registered retirement income fund
(RRIF). If your spouse is also your named beneficiary, the lump sum will include your excess contributions, if
any.
You do not have an eligible spouse, but you have one or more eligible dependent children...
The 66 2/3% pension that would have been payable to your spouse will be divided equally among your eligible
dependent children, for as long as they qualify. When a child is no longer eligible, that child's portion is
redistributed among the remaining eligible children.
A refund may also be payable to your named beneficiary, or to your estate if there is no beneficiary.
You have no eligible spouse or children...
Your designated beneficiary (or, if you have none, your estate) is entitled to a lump-sum cash payment, less
tax, which will include your excess contributions, if any.
If you die after pension payments begun, and...
You have an eligible spouse...
Your spouse may collect the 66 2/3% spousal pension described for pre-retirement death. The additional 10%
pension per child also applies. The combined spouse and child pensions cannot exceed 100% of your lifetime
pension.
You do not have an eligible spouse, but you have one or more eligible dependent children...
Your children will receive the greater of (a) 66 2/3% of the lifetime pension you were receiving at your date of
death; or (b) the survivor pension your spouse was receiving on the date of his or her death, less any
additional amount that was being paid to eligible children.
You have no eligible spouse or children...
Your designated beneficiary (or, if you have none, your estate) is entitled to a residual refund, if any. The
refund is equal to the total of your OMERS contributions with interest at retirement, minus any pension already
paid to you and/or your survivors.
For more detailed information about survivor benefits, including definitions of eligible spouse and eligible dependent
child, please visit the "Survivor benefits" section of the online OMERS member handbook, Your OMERS Pension, at
www.omers.com.
Tax information
Income tax on pension payments: The Canada Revenue Agency requires that OMERS withholds tax from OMERS
monthly pension payments, where necessary.
Withholding tax rates: OMERS withholds tax on lump-sum cash refund amounts at the following rates:
$0 to $5,000.00 10%
$5,000.01 to $15,000.00 20%
Over $15,000.00 30%
Cash refunds are paid and taxed separately. OMERS issues tax slips when we pay refunds. Different tax rates apply if
you are a Quebec resident or non-resident of Canada (usually 25% - depending on your country of residence and
any tax treaty it has with Canada).
Vesting
Your OMERS benefits are vested from the day you join the plan. This means you are entitled to a benefit from day
one.
Any questions regarding the collection of personal information should be directed to OMERS Client Services at
1.800.387.0813.
Your options are based on current OMERS Plan provisions, which may change over time. If there is any discrepancy
between the information in this document and the OMERS Act, 2006 and the OMERS Plan text, the OMERS Act, 2006
and the Plan text will govern.
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