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Message from the BC Retired Teachers Association:
“Understanding your Benefits and Pension Income in Retirement”
The important decisions that will determine your retirement lifestyle should not be made at the last minute as you fill out your forms.
How can you prepare to confidently make the choices that are right for you?
The BC Retired Teachers’ Association is pleased to announce that we have decided to continue offering our popular online workshop Understanding your Benefits and Pension Income in Retirement. Since the workshop was introduced in 2016, more than 4,700 teachers have participated, learning more about the Teachers’ Pension Plan, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and voluntary group benefits (dental, extended health, travel).
With emphasis on voluntary group benefits—extended health, dental, and travel as well as the Teachers’ Pension Plan, Canada Pension Plan , and Old Age Security, our sessions are an important complement to the Approaching Retirement webinars provided by the Teachers’ Pension Plan.
On voluntary group benefits, we emphasize “best friend advice” and inform teachers about how to choose the plan that best meets their needs for the years ahead.
Teacher ratings for our sessions are consistently high thanks to our knowledgeable facilitators and excellent retirement planning resources. When we ask if participants would recommend the seminar to a friend, the answer is a very strong “YES!”
Teachers particularly appreciate the opportunity to have their personal questions answered during the session or as a follow-up using by email.
Workshop Info:
CPP, OAS and Group Benefits: An Essential Workshop from BCRTA! The important decisions that will determine your retirement lifestyle should not be made at the last minute as you fill out your forms. This seminar will prepare you to confidently make choices that are right for you.
The agenda includes: Teachers’ Pension Plan, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and voluntary group benefits. As you will no longer have access to your health benefits from the employer, we include information about choosing your group benefits (dental, extended health and travel), and show some of the differences between the plans to equip you to select the plan that best suits your needs.
All teachers age 50+ should plan to attend one of BCRTA’s Pre-Retirement online (Zoom) workshops. The workshops are free. You get great planning materials along with answers to questions you have about your retirement.
Visit https://bcrta.ca/register/ to register!
The meetings are held by Zoom and you will receive a Zoom link and reminder.
Learn more about BCRTA at www.bcrta.ca
Thinking of Retiring?
HERE ARE SOME TIPS:
- Maintain a personal pension file of Teachers’ Pension Plan and Canada Pension Plan statements and information. Include any collective agreement provisions for retirement gratuities. Ask CPP to send you a current pension statement.
- Familiarize yourself with the Teachers’ Pension Plan (TPP) and attend a pension seminar. (one in your 40s, 50s and in the year or retirement).
- Visit the TPP web site (click on Teachers’ Pension Plan). Use the personalized pension estimator in the “My Account” area to estimate your pension benefit at the date of retirement.
- Keep the TPP informed of any changes in your life (i.e. marriage, separation, divorce, death of spouse, beneficiary if no spouse, etc.).
- Consider purchasing service from a leave of absence taken in the past 5 years
One Year Before Retirement:
- If you have service in a teachers’ pension plan in another Canadian province/territory and did not take a refund, check with that plan as to your accrued benefits and options, including transfer to the TPP.
- Start to clean out your classroom. Give away materials and units as you complete them. Do not take them home to clutter your basement.
- Take some time to consider your probable “lifestyle” in retirement:
- Make a budget for your interests as well as the regular day to day expenses.
- Decide where you want to live and the type of accommodation you may need
- Update your Will and Power of Attorney and/or Representation Agreement.
Four Months Before Retirement:
- Contact the Teachers’ Pension Plan for a Retirement Application Package. Send the completed application form to the TPP no later than the end of the month in which the pension is to start (preferably at least two months earlier) to ensure prompt pension payment.
One Month Before Retirement:
- Find out from us at the STA when the annual retirement open house is, and plan to attend! It’s time to celebrate your career.
- At least thirty days before the date of retirement send in your letter of resignation to your school board, with a copy to the STA.
- Check with the School Board Office to see when your current health benefits end to ensure continuous coverage.
- Invite newer teachers to a resources day and have them take away units and materials that you will not need in your new life.
At Retirement:
- Join the BC Retired Teachers’ Association and Lower Vancouver Island Retired Teachers (LVIRT) – 1-877-683-2243 or go to the web site at www.bcrta.ca. This will give you updated pensions and other information on retirement.
- Contact the BCRTA re starting/continuing Medoc travel health insurance. They also have home, medical and Long Term Care Insurance.
- Apply to the BCTF for Associate Membership.
- Maintain membership in the BC Regulation Branch as practicing member if you intend to teach or work as a teacher on call after retirement. See www.bcteacherregulation.ca.
- Register with Fair Pharmacare for healthcare benefits. This may help with your extended health needs. See: www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare or call: 1 (800) 663-7100
Enjoy being able to:
- Read the whole paper everyday
- Take vacations at off season times and rates.
- Volunteer time to your favorite organizations.
- Learn new things for your own pleasure.
- Not have bells run your day. (Turn off your alarm!)
Additional Pension Info:
- Six months before age 60, if you are not working, consider applying for your Canada Pension Plan pension. For an application kit, visit the CPP web site at www.servicecanada.gc.ca or visit a Canada Access Centre.
- Six months before age 65, apply for Old Age Security. For an application kit, visit the OAS web site at www.servicecanada.gc.ca or visit a Canada Access Centre.
- Which EHB Plan should you join?
Organizations and Phone Numbers
| BCTF | 1 (800) 663-9163 | www.bctf.ca |
| Teachers’ Pension Plan | 1 (800) 665-6770 | www.pensionsbc.ca |
| BC Retired Teachers’ Association | 1 (877) 683-2243 | www.bcrta.ca |
| BC Teacher Regulation Branch | 1 (800) 555-3684 | www.bcteacherregulation.ca |
| GreenShield | 1 (888) 711-1119 | www.greenshield.ca |
| Medical Services Plan | 1 (800) 663-7100 | www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp |
| Pharmacare | 1 (800) 663-7100 | www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare |
| OAP & CPP | 1 (800) 277-9914 | www.servicecanada.gc.ca |
BC Retired Teachers’ Association
1-877-683-2243
http://www.bcrta.ca
Lower Vancouver Island Retired Teachers