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Life changes in retirement
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- Life changes in retirement
What to know when life changes after retirement.
Changes to your relationships, family circumstances or work can affect how your pension is managed. Whether you need to update your information, plan for your loved ones, authorize someone to help you, or understand what happens if you return to work, you’ll find the information you need here.
Family and estate planning
Relationship or spousal status changes
If your relationship or spousal status changes – for example, you marry, enter a common-law relationship, separate, divorce, or lose a spouse – please let us know. This helps us update your record and ensure benefits are administered correctly.
Who receives survivor benefits?
If you had an eligible spouse when you retired, that spouse typically has priority rights to survivor benefits under pension legislation. If you didn’t have an eligible spouse at retirement, or that spouse waived their rights, your designated beneficiaries may be eligible to receive any applicable benefits.
Beneficiary information
Keeping your beneficiary information current helps ensure any benefits payable after your death are distributed according to your wishes.
Review your beneficiary information if you’d like to:
- Name someone new, such as a child or a new partner after retirement.
- Remove a beneficiary if they pass away or your wishes change.
- Change how your benefits are distributed.
Who can you name as a beneficiary?
A beneficiary can be a person or organization (such as a charity). You can name multiple beneficiaries as long as the total allocation equals 100%.
You can update your non-spousal beneficiaries at any time:
- Through the myUPP Member Portal under the Profile section.
- By submitting a completed Spousal and Beneficiary Designation Form through a secure message in the myUPP Member Portal.
Important tip: if you have a will, it may affect how pension benefits are paid to your beneficiaries, particularly if it refers to your pension.
It’s a good idea to review your spousal and beneficiary information regularly and consider speaking with an estate lawyer to go over how your pension survivor benefits may be affected by your estate plans. See the Estate planning section below for information on what your executor or estate trustee should do.
Spousal and beneficiary information is included in your annual statements sent each spring, and in the myUPP Member Portal under the Profile section.
Estate planning
As part of your estate planning, it’s helpful to let your executor or estate trustee know that you receive a pension from UPP. This helps ensure they know to contact UPP upon your passing.
Once notified, our Member Services team will guide your estate representative through each step of the process. We’ll work directly with any eligible survivor benefit recipients to ensure they receive any applicable payments and support.
We understand this can be a difficult time, and our Member Services team is here to make the process as straightforward as possible.
Returning to work
You may choose to return to work after starting your pension. If you’re considering working for a UPP participating employer, it’s important to understand how this may affect your pension. In general, you can’t receive your UPP pension and contribute to the Plan at the same time.
Whether you contribute depends on your employer, your position, and whether contributions are required:
| If you return to work for… | Then… |
|---|---|
| An employer that doesn’t participate in UPP | Your UPP pension payments are not affected. |
| A UPP participating employer on a full-time basis | You’re generally required to contribute to UPP. Your pension payments will pause during this time, and you’ll build an additional pension under your new employment. When your pension restarts, it will reflect any additional service earned, if applicable. |
| A UPP participating employer in an eligible part-time, or less than full-time contract position | You decide whether to contribute. If you choose to contribute, your pension payments will pause. When your pension restarts, it will reflect any additional benefits earned, if applicable. If you choose not to contribute, your pension payments will continue, and you won’t earn additional pension benefits. |
| Any employer and you are 71 years of age or older | Under the Income Tax Act, you’re required to receive your pension and are not allowed to contribute. Your pension payments will continue, and you won’t resume contributions. |
Your situation may vary depending on your role and circumstances. If you have any questions before returning to work, our Member Services team is here to support you.
Authorizing someone to help you
Sometimes you may want someone you trust to assist with your pension matters. There are two ways to do this.
Third-party authorization
Allows a third party, such as a spouse, family member, or advisor, to ask questions and discuss your pension with UPP on your behalf. This option allows us to share information but does not allow the third party to make decisions or changes for you.
To add a third party contact
Complete the Authorization to Release Information to a Third Party form and submit it to us by secure message in the myUPP Member Portal.
Power of attorney for property
Allows a trusted person to act on your behalf for certain financial matters related to your pension.
To submit a power of attorney
Provide a certified or notarized copy of the power of attorney for property document by secure message in the myUPP Member Portal. If you're acting as a power of attorney and need assistance submitting documents, contact our Member Services team.
| What they can do | Third-party authorization | Power of attorney for property |
|---|---|---|
| Ask questions about your pension | Yes | Yes |
| Receive copies of pension-related documents | Yes | Yes |
| Update your contact information | No | Yes |
| Submit banking information in your name | No | Yes |
| Sign forms on your behalf | No | Yes |
| Make decisions about your pension | No | Yes |
| Change beneficiaries | No | No |
| Access your myUPP Member Portal | No | No |
| Redirect payments to an account in their own name | No | No |
If you need assistance with how to assign a Power of Attorney, consider speaking with a lawyer or another qualified legal professional. UPP cannot accept a power of attorney for personal care since this is limited to decisions about your health.
To keep your information secure, never share your myUPP Member Portal login details with anyone.
Stay informed
Check in on your pension whenever you need to. Your secure myUPP Member Portal gives you convenient access to your personalized pension information, documents, and online tools, all in one place.
Through the portal, you can:
- View your annual pension statement and tax slips.
- Update your contact, beneficiary, and banking information.
- Get support from our Member Services team through secure messages.
Register or sign in to the myUPP Member Portal to access your personalized pension information.
Your personalized annual pension statement
Reviewing your annual statement is a good way to stay up to date on your pension. Your statement includes details about your pension amount, payment information, and any changes during the year. You’ll receive your statement in the myUPP Member Portal each year.
Explore frequently asked questions about your statement, including how to access it