How to change your beneficiary after retirement

Find out if you are eligible to change your beneficiary after you retire – and what you need to do.

Your ability to change your beneficiary after retiring depends on if you have a spouse and the pension option you selected when you retired from BC's Municipal Pension Plan.

Are you eligible?

If you selected a 100% joint life pension option
If you selected a 100 per cent joint life pension when you retired, your spouse must be your beneficiary.

If you selected a joint life pension option with a guarantee
If you selected a joint life pension with a 5-, 10- or 15-year guarantee, you can name an alternate beneficiary(ies) or beneficiaries to receive your pension benefit if your spouse dies before you during the guarantee period.

If you selected a single life pension option
If you selected a single life pension with a guarantee when you retired, you can change your beneficiary if the guarantee period has not expired. If your beneficiary is currently your spouse, they may have to complete a waiver. Please contact the plan for more information.

How to change your beneficiary

If you are eligible, change your beneficiary(ies) online through My Account or by submitting a Change of beneficiary (for retired member) form to the plan.

You can name persons or organizations (such as societies, charities, trusts or corporations) as your beneficiary(ies). You can also name your estate.

The total percentage of the pension benefit you allocate to your beneficiaries must equal 100 per cent.

All beneficiary nominations must comply with any separation agreements or court orders.

If you are naming more than two beneficiaries or wish to name alternate beneficiaries, include this information on a separate sheet and attach it to the form.

When you die, the pension plan will refer to the most recent Nomination of beneficiary (at retirement) or Change of beneficiary (for retired member) information on file (or your will, if your executor indicates that there are named beneficiaries) to process any remaining pension benefit. Note: if the plan has both your will and nomination of beneficiary information, the one with the most recent date will be considered the valid document.