Becoming a survivor—Survivor/dependant: Royal Canadian Mounted Police pension

You must immediately notify the Government of Canada Pension Centre. A qualified pension expert will confirm whether benefits are payable under the RCMP Pension Plan and how to apply for these benefits. If eligible, you will also have the opportunity to obtain medical and dental coverage.

The survivor of a deceased member may apply for Survivor benefits under the RCMP Pension Plan.

In addition to the survivor benefit eligible children may be entitled to a child allowance under the RCMP Pension Plan. Full-time students between the ages of 18 and 25 are paid directly.

If there is no survivor or eligible child, the RCMP Pension Plan provides for a Minimum benefit payable to the designated beneficiary or, in the absence of such a beneficiary, to the deceased member's estate.

Any applicable life insurance and accidental death or dismemberment insurance amounts will be payable to the designated beneficiary under these insurances. In the absence of a designated beneficiary Great-West Life pays the benefit based on the line of succession for the province in which the plan member lived. Contact SEB Administrative Services Inc., the RCMP Insurance Administrator at 1-877-778-8084 to find out more.

If the plan member's death is a result of his/her service with the RCMP, the survivor or eligible children may be entitled to benefits under the Survivor Income Plan (SIP). The Pension Act is administered by Veterans Affairs Canada and provides a tax free benefit to the spouse and children of RCMP members in the case of a duty-related death. Your survivors should contact Veterans Affairs Canada to find out if they qualify for a benefit under the Pension Act. A favourable decision under the Pension Act also qualifies your survivors to the SIP.

This program provides an income top-up to the spouse and children of members in the case of a duty-related death. Contact Veterans Affairs Canada to find out if you qualify at 1-866-522-2122.  For more information, contact the Pension Centre.

Yes. A surviving spouse is not entitled to a survivor benefits in the following cases:

• At the time of death, the member was not vested and had less than two years of pensionable service
• The plan member's death occurred in the first year of marriage unless shown that there was reasonable expectation of the member surviving at least one year after the marriage
• At the time of the plan member's death, you were divorced from the plan member
• Your marriage / common-law relationship began after the member reached age 60, unless the member became or continued to be a contributor or elected for Optional Survivor Benefits (OSB) for a married spouse
• The surviving spouse is found to be criminally responsible for the death of the plan member

Yes. A child is not entitled to a survivor benefits in the following cases:

• He/she was born, adopted or became the plan member's stepchild after the member's 60th birthday unless the member continued to be an active contributor to the RCMP Pension Plan or
• He/she is between the ages of 18 and 25 and not considered a full-time student

If there are no survivors and no beneficiary was designated, the benefits will be paid to the deceased member's estate.

For group life insurances with no designated beneficiary Great-West Life pays the benefit based on the line of succession for the province in which the plan member lived.

The following table provides a summary of the documents required by the Government of Canada Pension Centre in support of a claim for survivor benefits under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (RCMPSA).

You must send the required documents to the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

The Survivor benefits are paid in monthly installments for life.

Through direct deposit, the benefit is deposited in your bank account on the third last banking day of the month. Direct deposit is preferable and more secure but if you choose payment by cheque, you should receive it by the end of each month.

For a child under the age of 18, the child allowance is normally paid to the survivor on behalf of the child.

Payment is made to the person who has custody of the child when:

• The child does not live with the survivor
• The survivor's death occurs while the child is still eligible for the child allowance

The allowance is paid directly to the child if he/she is older than 18 years of age and less than 25 years of age and a full-time student.

Yes. On January 1, the amounts are adjusted based on the cost of living.

Payment of the Survivor benefits ceases on the survivor's death.

The child allowance is paid to each child as long as he or she remains eligible to receive it. Normally, this means:

• Until the month in which the child turns 18 years of age or
• If 18 or older, until the child stops attending an educational institution full-time or turns 25, whichever comes first

Survivors' benefits are not subject to an adjustment at age 65 due to the Canada Pension Plan / Quebec Pension Plan Coordination. Survivor benefits are normally equal to half of the plan member's pension entitlement; that is, half of the plan member's pension when calculated before any adjustments. As a survivor, you can receive benefits under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) / Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) and also receive a full survivor benefit under the RCMP Pension Plan.

Visit the Survivor’s Pension section of the Canada Pension Plan or the Survivor Benefits section of the Quebec Pension Plan for more information regarding entitlements under these plans.

In general, the survivor of a deceased plan member who is entitled to a survivor benefit under the RCMP Pension Plan is also eligible for coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan and the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan at a glance. Coverage is also available to eligible family members.

Participation in these plans is optional and the Government of Canada Pension Centre can provide information on how to join.

If there is no surviving spouse, eligible children (including full-time students) who are entitled to a child allowance are normally eligible for coverage under both these plans.

If the deceased member had family coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan, coverage will be continuous if the survivor applies within 60 days of the member's death.

If the deceased member was not covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan, or did not have family coverage, such coverage can be obtained but it will not take effect until three months after the application is received.

You can be covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan and the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan at a glance even if you do not reside in Canada. For more information, please contact the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

Yes. Coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan is the same.

If the plan member was still employed at the time of death, your dental service plan as a dependent is different from the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan at a glance available to survivors. Consequently, the expenses covered, the percentages and the reimbursement maximums may be different.

If the member was retired and covered by the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan at a glance, the coverage remains the same.

A person receiving a survivor benefit remains covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan and the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan at a glance as long as he/she pays the required contribution and continues to receive an RCMP pension benefit.

Children, including full-time students, receiving a child allowance remain covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan and the Pensioners' Dental Services Plan as long as they are eligible children/dependent and the required contribution is paid.

When the survivor dies, Pensioners' Dental Services Plan coverage ends for all family members.