Marriage/Common-Law Relationship

Your pension is set up to protect both you and your partner whether you are married or living common-law. Your partner is entitled to certain benefits including:

• The mandatory Plan D – 2/3 to Last Survivor plan option at retirement unless waived (if cohabiting in a conjugal relationship at the time of retirement),
• Pre-retirement survivor’s benefits unless waived (if cohabiting in a conjugal relationship at the time of retirement),
• Certain information such as a copy of your annual benefits statement, if requested in writing, and
• If you separate permanently, your former partner may be entitled to up to 50% of the pension value earned from the date the relationship began to the date of separation.

Defining common-law

You and your partner (a person with whom you are living in a conjugal relationship) are living common-law if:

• You have registered your relationship under The Vital Statistics Act and neither person is married, or
• You have been living with your partner for one year and neither person is married, or
• You have been living with your partner for three years if either person is married.

Make sure you inform TRAF of any changes in your marital status or common-law relationship as they occur. The Teachers’ Pensions Act requires you to provide written evidence of your common-law relationship that is satisfactory to the TRAF Board. Update this information as required by accessing the Beneficiary Designation through your Online Services account.