New Developments in Pensions and Benefits Law - March 2013

  • March 30, 2013

MARCH 2013

FED - Budget 2013

On March 21, 2013, the federal government released its budget for 2013 which contains a number of pension related announcements including regarding the process for plan administrators and employers seeking a refund of a contribution made to a pension plan in error, Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax pension plan rules, distressed pension workout scheme and pension plans for federal employees, Parliamentarians and crown corporations.

Source: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2013/doc/plan/budget2013-eng.pdf

ON - Carrigan v. Carrigan Estate

The Supreme Court of Canada denied leave to appeal in this case. The decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal, which held that if a plan member has a common law spouse potentially entitled to the pre-retirement death benefit, but the member had separated from and never divorced a prior spouse, the common law spouse will not be entitled to the death benefit, is now final.