Reserve Pension- Merged

[Rifleman62]

Three Chapters: Chapter 1 & 2 are G8/G20 audits. http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/92495.925.html

2011 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/med_fs_e_35004.html

The 2011 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada will be tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 5 April 2011. The following is a brief description of the chapters contained in the Report.

Chapter 3—Reserve Force Pension Plan—National Defence. The chapter looks at the approach used by National Defence to plan and implement a pension plan for the Reserve Force. The audit also looked at whether the Department had the means necessary to operate the Plan, including an organizational structure, resources, and information systems and control procedures.

 

[tye_elliott]

I just got off the phone with the pension people and I'm still in the queue for my final amount. As everybody thought files dealing with simple buybacks and people who are getting out soon are being processed first. Its a bit frustrating waiting so long. I wonder how many workers are actually doing the processing?

I, too, have been "retired" for almost two years and my pension is also in the queue for processing. Meaning haven't even started to look at it. I was told that already retired members are supposed to be marked urgent and float to the top. It took a year after my retirement to get a notice saying I had made an error on my application.


I have been fortunate enough to get to know someone who works in the Reserve Cell of Pension Services and another who works in the TB as a policy analyst. They are both of the opinion the cell is a mess. The general attitude is one of "they're Reservists, what were they planning on doing the rest of their lives." What is not being acknowledged is the fact that a great number of Reservists were medically released for not meeting the Universality of Service but still capable of doing their jobs after having been full-time staff for the majority of their careers and not only lost a paycheck but benefits such as PSHCP for their families and full medical coverage.

I, for one, will be writing Minister Day, asking why the PWGSC is having difficulty (mis)managing the Reserve Pension Plan. I strongly suggest any of you other veterans, who are no impressed by the lack of execution in distributing our entitled pension benefits by Administrative Staff, to also inquire to the Minister as to the administration of them.

Having said all that, now the bright side: at least they are answering the phones now!

My  :2c:.

T Elliott

 

[dapaterson]

PWGSC can't do anything to start payments until they recieve the data from the DND/CF pension cell.

 

[Stoker]

I just sent a letter to Peter Soffer my MP in Eastern Passage concerning the problems with the pension. Think i'll also send a letter to the MND seeing he's my conservative representative for Newfoundland as well. Let you all know what the result is.

 

[Rifleman62]

Also send an email to Minister day's Penticton, BC constituency office. Follow up with a letter. His assistant there is Douglas Sharpe.

I think you will have a better chance of getting past the Public Service staff screening.

If fact, everyone should take a few minutes to send an email. It was Treasury Board who negotiated this mess with DND.

DayS1@parl.gc.ca

Honourable Stockwell Day
President of the Treasury Board
Suite 202, 301 Main Street
Penticton, BC V2A 5B7

 

[Rifleman62]

tye_elliott

PM sent to you.

 

[CountDC]

Question reiterated.  Are there any circumstances where a Reservists who CT's to Regs & signs a 25yr contract-be credited a portion of pension/serviceable time so as to reduce the 25?

I assume you are referring to the 25 years servicable time required to qualify for an IA. You can not reduce this time but you will be given credit towards it by buying back your reserve time.  For example as I bought back my time and have been given a servicable time credit of 10+ years I am only required to do 14+ years in the regular force to qualify for IA. YAY!!!! Have kids, darn - booo!! so much for retirement.

 

[Rifleman62]

tye_elliott

Another PM sent to you yesterday.

 

[RLD]

Three Chapters: Chapter 1 & 2 are G8/G20 audits. http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/92495.925.html

2011 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/med_fs_e_35004.html

The 2011 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada will be tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 5 April 2011. The following is a brief description of the chapters contained in the Report.

Chapter 3—Reserve Force Pension Plan—National Defence. The chapter looks at the approach used by National Defence to plan and implement a pension plan for the Reserve Force. The audit also looked at whether the Department had the means necessary to operate the Plan, including an organizational structure, resources, and information systems and control procedures.

I doubt that anyone who has tried to deal with DCFPS over the last 4 years would say anything but a resounding NO to the question of whether the tools were in place to deal with the RFPP. DCFPS said as much in the 2006/07 annual report on the CFSA. It will be interesting to see if the AG identifies why the Government/DND refused to do so even after problems were identified. If the governement falls in the next couple weeks as many are predicting it will likely be the Fall 2011 or later before the report is tabled and then the new government will simply blame the old government even if it is the same cast of characters.

Similarly still waiting for the 2008/09 annual reports on the CFSA/RFPP. In past years this came out 14-15 months after the end of the reporting period. We are now a couple weeks shy of 2 years and the 2009/10 report should be out soon.  Got to wonder what they are so eager to hide.

 

[dapaterson]

I put together this image based on the 07/08 report.  I suspect that things have not improved much.

 

[Rifleman62]

tye_elliott

PM sent to you.

An option letter from Pension Services was mailed to you by priority post two days ago.

You are difficult to contact. Please send me an email.

 

[RLD]

The 2008-2009 Annual report on the CF Pension Plans has been posted on the Adm Fin&CS website at

http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/doc/dcf-dsp/ar-ra-0809-eng.pdf

Still wading through it myself but two items that jumped out at me:

1.  3395 elections filed. 106 completed. 299 "in progress" (page 80).

2.  The RFPP is so screwed up that the auditor refused to provide an opinion on the financial statements.
To quote the report (page eight)

"With regard to the RFPP , the OAG issued a denial of opinion on the fairness and accuracy
of the RFPP financial statements. The denial of opinion primarily arises from the following sources:
1. T he inability of the RFPP to present an accurate valuation of the RFPP ’s actuarial liability due to
changes in assumptions and estimates made;
2. T he uncertainty created within the RFPP ’s actuarial liability related to the large number
of outstanding elections for prior pensionable service that could not be valued;
3. A combination of system and process errors, and weaknesses in some internal controls that affected
calculations and transactions for Reserve Force members."

I am not an expert on financial statements but my understanding is that inability of an auditor to provide an opinion is a pretty serious matter.

 

[dapaterson]

Looks like a rush job - no photos of CMP or ADM(Fin CS), or even their names?  Then again, the individuals in both jobs have changed since then - this report isn't even timely, since '10-11 ends next week - where's the '09-10 report?

The denail of an audit opinion should have resulted in firings of ADM(Fin CS), together with his DG and director of pension services.  If the information they provide is unreliable and demonstrates a lack of professional management they should be releived post-haste; these are multi-billion dollar assets managed on behalf of all CF members and retirees.  Since they have demonstrated an inability to do their jobs, they should no longer have those jobs.

 

[chrisf]

Regarding the reserve pension plan, has anyone attempted to/gone about transferring reserve pension time to another federal government department?

 

[dapaterson]

Regarding the reserve pension plan, has anyone attempted to/gone about transferring reserve pension time to another federal government department?

Part I.1 (part-time plan) is not transferrable; part I (full-time / Reg F plan) is transferrable.  I am a Reservst transferring my part I to the PSSA; the original request was submitted in fall 2008 and is nearing completion (or so I have been told).

I have been told, however, that transfers from CFSA part I to the PSSA can only be made (in the case of a Reserve contributor) for periods of service of 6 months or more.  Once I get more concrete data I'll share it; I have yet to find the full details in the PSSA Superannuation Administration Manual.

Of course, if your buyback into the CFSA isn't finalized you can't do a transfer to the PSSA; and once it's finalized you go into the line for transfers, where the delay is currently over a year - DND has apparently told PWGSC (who handle the PSSA) not to bother sending hasteners.

All this to say: Getting the CFSA sorted out was a mammoth undertaking (on an individual level).  I suspect the PSSA buyback will be equally challenging to resolve.

 

[chrisf]

If you get concrete details, let me know...

I've got a job offer, but it's only really attractive if I can transfer in pension time...

 

[dapaterson]

Are you in part I or part I.1?  Part I is transferable.

 

[chrisf]

"Both"?

I have no idea to be honest, I've got a number of periods of service exceeding 6 months, but currently employeed as a Class A reservists, so I have no idea. I shall be looking into it when I get home (Not at home at the moment). Don't really know much about, and certainly not enough about the reserve pension plan.

The job offer is more or less standing, as, while it's the federal government, and posistions are a the whim of the latest budget, no one else seems to be interested in/qualified for this position locally.... if i could transfer a few years of pension time, it definitly increases the attractiveness...

 

[kratz]

Sig Op,

With your time in, you are already participating in part I.1 (part-time pension)

The answer is you are in part I (full-time pension) is if you have worked at any time in your career, 55 months within a 60 month time frame. If so, then using the calculator you need to sign and submit the paperwork and elect to Top Up your pension.

If not, then you are most likely only in the part I.1 only.

Edit: Thanks to dapaterson's correction. I knew the policy centered on 60 months.

 

[dapaterson]

Kratz:  It's actually 55 months in a 60 month period.

Just a Sig Op:  There is another twist to the tale; in the past it was possible to buy-back Reserve full-time service for periods of 6 months or more into the PSSA.  The introduction of Reserve benefits under the CFSA has mixed up things, though, so I'm not certain whether or not that is still possible.

You can look at  http://pensionetavantages-pensionandbenefits.gc.ca/accueil-home-eng.html for more information on the PSSA, and on options once enrolled in the PSSA.