Your mother or father spent a career in teaching, nursing or the public service, and now a letter about their RREGOP, the Quebec public-sector pension, is sitting on the table. Many families ask us the same thing at this point: is the funeral home handling the pension, or is it on you?
Here's the short answer for RREGOP after a death. Call Retraite Québec first, the agency that runs the plan (1 800 463-5533), so the pension payments stop. The form filed when the death is registered gives Retraite Québec proof of death, but it doesn't replace that call.
A surviving spouse then applies for a pension of 50% or 60% of the retirement pension, depending on the choice made at retirement. With no spouse, what's left of the contributions goes to the estate. RREGOP pays no pension to children.
RREGOP stands for the Government and Public Employees Retirement Plan. It covers people who worked in Quebec's public and parapublic sectors. If old letters say CARRA, that's the same plan: CARRA became part of Retraite Québec in January 2016.
What to do with RREGOP after a death: 3 steps
It's normal to feel unsure which office does what. For RREGOP, there are only three things to do, and only the first is urgent: make the call this week.
- Call Retraite Québec to stop the pension. Use the public-sector plans line: 1 800 463-5533 toll-free, or 418 643-4881 in the Québec City area. It's open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The pension is paid for the month of the death. Retraite Québec says this call is what keeps the family from having to repay amounts paid after the death. A survivor application sent in within a few days also counts as the notice.
- Apply for the survivor's benefit. A spouse, or the liquidator of the estate, files form RSP-081. Retraite Québec's online service lets you apply for the RREGOP benefit and the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) survivor benefits in one request. The paper forms are separate.
- Gather the documents. For a death in Quebec, Retraite Québec accepts the attestation de décès the funeral home gives you, a death certificate, or a copy of the act of death. Add a void cheque for direct deposit. A liquidator also sends the will and the will searches from the Chambre des notaires and the Barreau du Québec. A de facto spouse may be asked for an extra form (RSP-423).
Who is entitled to the RREGOP surviving spouse's pension?
If you're the surviving spouse, the pension is yours by default, and your right comes before anything the will says. What counts is your relationship on the day of the death.
You qualify if you were married, in a civil union, or a de facto (common law) spouse. As a de facto spouse, you need at least 3 years living together, or 1 year if a child was born or is expected from your union, or you adopted one together. Neither of you can be married to or in a civil union with someone else. Under Quebec's Civil Code a de facto spouse doesn't inherit, but RREGOP still recognizes you.
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When the spouse doesn't receive the RREGOP pension
- You gave up the benefit before the death. You may have waived it in favour of the heirs. That only counts if Retraite Québec received your notice before the death.
- A separation divided the pension. If the pension rights were split after a legal separation, the spouse's other rights under the plan end, unless the couple lived together again.
- Your partner was still married to someone else. A spouse who separated without a judgment can come ahead of a later de facto partner.
If your spouse has passed away, our checklist for when your spouse passes away covers the accounts, benefits and paperwork beyond this pension.
What RREGOP pays, depending on the situation
The amount depends on three things: whether your loved one had retired, how many years they worked, and whether there's a spouse. Find the row that matches. Retraite Québec does the calculation, and its page on survivors' benefits under public-sector plans has the full rules.
| Situation at the time of death | With a spouse | No spouse (paid to the heirs) |
|---|---|---|
| Retired, receiving the pension | Surviving spouse's pension for life: 50% or 60% of the pension | Contributions plus interest, minus the pension already received, if anything is left |
| Still working, under 55, less than 2 years of service | Contributions plus interest | Contributions plus interest |
| Still working, under 55, 2 years or more, not eligible for an immediate pension | The higher of the deferred pension's actuarial value (what it's worth today, as Retraite Québec calculates it) or contributions plus interest | Same amount, to the heirs |
| Still working, eligible for an immediate pension but not yet retired | Surviving spouse's pension for life: 50% of the pension they'd have received | Contributions plus interest |
If your loved one had retired
The 50% or 60% was chosen when they applied for their own pension. Choosing 60% meant accepting a slightly smaller pension for life, so the spouse would get more later. If they were under 65, the amount is integrated with the Quebec Pension Plan from the month after the death: it's adjusted to account for QPP benefits, which can change the figure.
If your loved one was still working
If their working conditions included it, the heirs also receive basic life insurance under the plan: $3,200 or $6,400, depending on the collective agreement. Ask the employer whether it applies.
What children and RREGOP heirs receive
Adult children often expect a share of a parent's pension, and it's hard to hear that there isn't one. RREGOP doesn't pay an orphan's pension, even when there are children. The Quebec Pension Plan's orphan's pension is a separate benefit, explained in our guide to who qualifies for death benefits in Quebec.
When there's no spouse, the RREGOP heirs receive what's left: the contributions your parent paid, plus interest, minus the pension they had already received. Retraite Québec sends any remaining amount to the liquidator of the estate. When a surviving spouse who was receiving the pension later passes away, the same calculation applies, and any balance goes to the original member's heirs.
All of these amounts are taxable, except the life insurance benefit and amounts transferred to an RRSP.
RREGOP and the QPP: two benefits, two applications
RREGOP and the Quebec Pension Plan are separate, even though Retraite Québec runs both. The QPP pays a death benefit of up to $2,500 to whoever paid for the funeral, plus its own surviving spouse's and orphan's pensions. Our guide on applying for the QPP death benefit walks through that form. Apply for both, or use the online service that covers both in one request.
What the funeral home covers, and what's left for your family
If you choose Cleo, we complete the declaration of death and the simplified forwarding form with you. That form lets Retraite Québec learn of the death for the public-sector plans, so you don't have to mail it proof of death. It doesn't stop the pension. The phone call and the RSP-081 application are yours, because Retraite Québec deals with the spouse or the liquidator. We'd rather tell you that now than have you find out from an overpayment letter.
What we do take on: we help you apply for the QPP death benefit, and we stay on for months after, closing out paperwork, benefits and loose ends. For the full list of who to notify, see our guide on notifying the government after a death in Quebec.
Questions families ask
Common questions about RREGOP after a death
Who can receive a deceased person's RREGOP pension?
The recognized spouse comes first: married, civil union, or de facto after 3 years together (1 year with a child). A retiree's spouse receives 50% or 60% of the pension for life. With no spouse, the heirs receive the contributions plus interest, minus the pension already paid. Children don't receive a RREGOP pension of their own.
When does the RREGOP pension stop after a death?
The pension is paid for the month of the death. Anything deposited after that has to be repaid, which is why Retraite Québec asks families to call 1 800 463-5533 as soon as they can. A survivor application sent in within a few days also counts as the notice.
Is there a deadline to apply for the RREGOP survivor benefit?
Retraite Québec's pages don't set a deadline for the RREGOP survivor benefit. Applying early still matters: the sooner the file is open, the sooner the spouse's pension starts and the less risk of an overpayment to sort out.
Is a RREGOP survivor pension taxable?
Yes. Retraite Québec states that every amount it pays under the plan is taxable, except the life insurance benefit and any amount transferred to an RRSP. The spouse reports the survivor pension. A refund paid to the estate goes on the estate's returns.
What was CARRA?
CARRA was the Commission administrative des régimes de retraite et d'assurances, which ran RREGOP until January 2016. It merged with the Régie des rentes du Québec to form Retraite Québec. A letter or a booklet that says CARRA is about the same pension.
Take it one call at a time
You don't have to sort out every pension this week. Make the call to Retraite Québec about the RREGOP pension, keep the attestation de décès somewhere safe, and file RSP-081 when you're ready. If Cleo is arranging the cremation, we'll handle the registration with you and help you apply for the QPP death benefit. Our direct cremation service is one fixed, all-inclusive price, with no fee added at the end: what we quote is what you pay.
A real person answers, 24/7, in English or French: (438) 817-1770.