Getting married or reaching common-law status in retirement: Royal Canadian Mounted Police pension
Your new spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for coverage under your pension and group insurance plans. The following questions and answers provide further details.
You may want to know…
You were married or lived in a common-law relationship prior to your sixtieth birthday. Will your spouse or common-law partner be entitled to a survivor benefit upon your death?
Your spouse will normally be entitled to a survivor benefit if you were married before your sixtieth birthday or, if over age 60, you were an active member at the time of your marriage.
If you lived in a common-law relationship before your sixtieth birthday or, if over age 60 still an active member, and for at least one year before your death, your common-law partner may be entitled to a survivor benefit. You can provide information about your common-law relationship by completing the RCMP- GRC 2016E: Statutory declaration and forwarding it to the Government of Canada Pension Centre.
You married after age 60. Will your new spouse be entitled to a survivor benefit upon your death?
If you marry on or after your sixtieth birthday and are retired at the time of your marriage, your surviving spouse is not normally entitled to a pension. However, you may elect to provide your legally married spouse with a benefit by taking a reduction in your own pension. This is called Optional Survivor Benefit (OSB). You must choose this option within one year of marriage. Contact the Government of Canada Pension Centre for more information.
If you're receiving a survivor benefit under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Plan, does that benefit end if you remarry?
No. A survivor pension is payable for life and is not affected by remarriage.
Is your new spouse or common-law partner covered under your insurance benefits plans?
Your new spouse or common-law partner may be covered under your insurance plans. If you have opted for coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan or the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan as a retired member, you can also apply for coverage for your new spouse or eligible common-law partner and/or dependent children.
- Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) coverage is available upon retirement if you're entitled to an on-going pension benefit under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Pension Plan. You must apply for this coverage
- Pensioners' Dental Services Plan (PDSP) is an optional plan established by the Government of Canada to provide coverage to eligible RCMP pensioners and their eligible dependents. It provides coverage for specific services and supplies that aren't covered under a provincial health or dental care plan
- You may wish to review and update your RCMP Group Life Insurance beneficiary information. Depending upon the age of your new spouse or common–law partner, he/she may be able to apply for Dependent Life Insurance, as well. For detailed information, visit the SEB Administrative Services Inc. website