I am a UK pensioner married recently to a Canadian Widower The dilemma for me is what happens if we move to Canada. I know my UK pension will be frozen at that point. He has a good pension , but because he was married at the time he retired, his late wife who died shortly after retirement was the nominated beneficiary of his pension. He has been told that if we married, should he predecease me, I won't be entitled to any sort of widows pension.
Given my UK pension will be frozen, it could be if I outlived him I would be destitute.
Does anyone know what, if any arrangements there may be for women in my position?

You'd be destitute if you were living in the UK and your husband died, wouldn't you? The only difference would be that you'd get the annual uplift on your UK pension, but you'd still be dependent on means tested benefits.

There are three types of State pension in Canada, CPP (Canada Pension Plan), OAS (Old Age Security), and the GIS (Guaranteed Income Supplement), but as a sponsored migrant you may not be entitled to any of them.

If you go to Canada with your husband, you will have to apply for a residency permit, and he will have to sponsor you. While you are being sponsored, you are not entitled to benefits.

Other welfare provision varies from province to province, but generally the welfare safety net is not as good as in the UK.

Have a look at the Service Canada website: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/l...tirement.shtml

CPP is based on contributions, if you have not contributed you get zilch, even if you have paid in you don't get much. The UK has way more of a safety net for seniors than Canada. Not all healthcare costs are covered in Canada, especially some medications, some you may find you have to pay for.

But if he has a private pension from employment, surely he can nominate a new beneficiary since his 1st wife (the former beneficiary) has died?

Hi

Depends. On some, he could nominate his new wife for a survivor, but it would reduce his present pension substantially. Or the BC Provincial employees pension, the pensioner can take a pension where he chooses, either 5, 10, or life years joint, and after that time it is single coverage.

The other question is whether islelassie would be granted a residency permit, if she has no support beyond her husband. I don't think residency is automatic for spouses. I came over with my husband 5 years ago, and was warned that I might not get residency because of my health problems, though I was granted it in the end.

I think the point is that the first wife died after he'd already retired. I think that makes a difference, making it too late to nominate another survivor.

This all sounds a bit bonkers - am I missing something?

If the beneficiary dies before being allocated any monies, then the "money" has not gone anywhere and surely must still be sitting in a pot somewhere? So surely you can nominate it goes to someone else??

Or had the deceased already been claiming on his pension at the time of her death?

Sorry - I don't want this to sound impersonal - I appreciate there are real people in this conversation - but it all sounds a bit wrong ....

If you read the thread your question will be answered.

I think Editha has this right. The original beneficiary passed away after the OP's spouse started drawing his pension. Assuming it is a defined benefit pension there is no pot of money just a right to receive income. The OP's spouse and ex-wife would have the right to receive that income. I am quite sure that the pension scheme rules will not allow him to add another beneficiary. Otherwise, a 90 year old man could marry a 20 year old woman and make her a beneficiary. The pension provider would then be obligated to pay a pension for 50 or so years longer than they planned for.

Defined benefit pensions are usually highly prized because it is the employer who takes the investment risk (and usually the employer contributes more). However with an RRSP/RIFF you accumulate a pot of money that will pass, tax-free, to your spouse when you turn your toes up.