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Did You Know?

Understanding pensions and their terminology requires large doses of Alphabet soup.

A QROPS on the HMRC list that’s also an RRSP recognized by the CRA. (Who writes this stuff?)

A Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS), is an overseas pension scheme that meets mandatory requirements set by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). A QROPS can receive transfers of UK Pensions. In Canada, QROPS are often also approved as a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

DB vs. DC?

A Defined Benefit (DB) plan, is a retirement account for which both an employer and employee make contributions that promise the employee a set payout at retirement e.g. two thirds of final salary. You do not have your own retirement pot but instead have a defined income.  A Defined Contribution (DC) plan is a retirement account where both an employer and employee make contributions to an employee’s own individual retirement pot – the employee has flexibility to take the income any way they wish but the amounts depend on how much was contributed and how those contributions were invested.

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Did You Know?

If you live in Canada and intend to retire there too, there is little value of having a UK pension that allows you to take a tax free lump sum.

Many UK pension plans allow the beneficiaries to make a withdrawal of 25% on reaching the retirement age. In the UK that 25% lump sum is not taxed. Unfortunately, most withdrawals from a pension plan are taxable for Canadian residents.
Did You Know?

The UK old age (state) pension can be paid to you in Canada.

If you qualify, an old age pension can be paid to you in Canada but cannot be transferred as a lump sum.
Did You Know?

Your RRSP contribution limits are not affected even if you deposit a large amount from a recognized UK pension plan to a Canadian QROPS.

Your RRSP contribution limits are not affected even if you deposit a large amount from a recognized UK pension plan to a Canadian QROPS. You declare the amount transferred as income on your Canadian tax return and then take a…