Nova Scotia Pension Agency > MLA's Pension Coverage

Members' of the Legislative Assembly Pension Coverage

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Retirement Eligibility
Canada Pension Plan Benefits
Survivor Benefits
Death Before Vesting
Indexing (Cost of Living Adjustment)
Contributions

Retirement Eligibility

A Member of the Legislative Assembly may qualify for pension benefits when one of the following criteria are met.

• at least 55 years of age, with 5 years of service, and has served in at least two General Assemblies;
• at least 45 years of age, with 5 years of service, and has served in at least two General Assemblies (this is a reduced pension).

Calculation of Benefit¹

The following formula represents the annual pension benefit an MLA would receive:

• 5% X years of Indemnity Service (up to 15 years) X 3 year highest average Indemnity;
• 5% X years of Executive Council Service (up to 15 years) X 3 year highest average Executive Council salary.

Note: MLA pension benefits are paid on a monthly basis on the third last banking day of each month.
¹ Lump sum payments such as retroactive compensation can artifically inflate pension estimates if they have not been correctly reported to us. It is possible that the actual pension benefit may be lower and this should be taken into consideration.

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Canada Pension Plan Benefits

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits may be drawn at age 65 or taken as early as age 60. If you decide to draw CPP benefits early you would receive a reduced amount calculated by the Canada Pension Plan. For information on CPP benefits please contact the Canada Pension Plan at 1-800-277-9914.

Survivor Benefits
Amendments to the Members' Retiring Allowances Act have changed survivor benefits for new Members that started work on or after April 6, 2010. These changes are noted below.

Member with a spouse and children
If the Member started work prior to April 6, 2010 a surviving spouse would be entitled to receive a lifetime pension with a 66 2/3% of the pension benefit the Member was receiving or would have been entitled to receive. Surviving children are eligible to receive 10% of the pension benefit up to 18 years of age (or 25 if in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution). If there are more than 3 eligible children, 33 1/3% of the Member's pension benefit is divided equally among them.
Note: If the Member started work on or after April 6, 2010 a surviving spouse would receive 60% of the pension benefit the Member was receiving or would have been entitled to receive, payable for life. Surviving children are eligible to receive 10% of the pension benefit up to 18 years of age (or 25 if in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution). If there are more than 4 eligible children, 40% of the Member's pension benefit is divided equally among them.

Member with children only or upon death of the surviving spouse
If the Member started work prior to April 6, 2010 a lifetime pension with a 66 2/3% survivor pension (total) is paid to the children upon death of the member or death of the survivor while the children are under age 18 (or under age 25 and in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution).
Note: If the Member started work on or after April 6, 2010 a lifetime pension with a 60% survivor pension (total) is paid to the children upon death of the member or death of the survivor while the children are under age 18 (or under age 25 and in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution).

Member without spouse or children
A life annuity with a 50% pension payable upon the member's death if dependants (other than a spouse or children) are surviving.

Death benefits before retirement
Payment of spouse and dependant pension is the same as survivor benefits if the member is vested. A spouse may elect an actuarially reduced pension if the member had served in all or part of two General Assemblies, but less than five yers. Otherwise, a refund of a member's required contributions with interest is payable to the deceased member's beneficiary.

If an MLA dies in his or her first General Assembly, the MLA would not have been vested. In this case, the estate may be entitled to receive a refund of pension contributions plus interest.

Indexing (Cost of Living Adjustment)

Please see the MLA Indexing (Cost of Living Adjustment) page.

Contributions

The required contributions are 10% of the annual Indemnity plus 10% of the Executive Council salary. Once 15 years of contributions are made, or once 71 years of age is reached, no further contributions are required. At age 71, an MLA is entitled to start drawing a pension even if still serving as an MLA.

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