Transfers Into LAPP Banner

Transfers into LAPP

Who Says You Can't Take It With You?

If you were a member of another pension plan before joining us, we have good news for you! The service you earned in that plan may be transferrable into LAPP.

LAPP has transfer agreements with many public-sector pension plans throughout Canada, and information can be found under the tabs below —including lists of which plans. Now is the perfect time to transfer that service into LAPP and grow your guaranteed retirement income.

Why Transfer Your Previous Service Into LAPP?

You will increase your secure monthly lifetime LAPP pension by transferring service from another plan;
You will reduce paperwork by consolidating your total retirement monthly income; and
You may retire earlier with an unreduced pension after increasing your service.

What Is Important to Know for All Transfers?

You can no longer be active in the former plan, and your funds still need to be held in that plan;
You need to be a current member of LAPP when you apply for a transfer;
Your transfer application needs to be received within one year of joining LAPP; and
Some plans will not allow you to transfer if you're entitled to an unreduced pension in that plan, so be sure to check with your former employer or plan administrator.

If you're interested in transferring your previous service into LAPP, please review the information below and complete the provided form. Our Member Services Centre will be happy to answer any questions you have through Secure Messages in Your Pension Profile or by phone at 1-877-649-LAPP (5277).

After reviewing the package, you can then discuss the transfer with your financial advisor, talk to our Member Services Centre, or use the Pension Estimator to run estimates to see how transferring and/or buying service might affect your pension.

In Alberta Other Provinces Federal Government Will It Cost Money? Plans Not Listed

Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Plan (ATRF | ATPP | PSTPP)

If you stopped participating in the Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF), the Alberta Teacher's Pension Plan (ATPP), or the Private School Teachers' Pension Plan (PSTPP) on or after Jan 1, 1995, and would like to start the transfer, please complete the form at Application to Transfer Pension Entitlements between LAPP and Alberta Teachers' Pension Plans

Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP)

If you would like to start the transfer, please fill in the form at Appendix A: Transfer Information Request and Authorization Form under the National Transfer Agreement

Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)

If you would like to start the transfer, please fill in the form at Appendix A: Transfer Information Request and Authorization Form under the National Transfer Agreement

Special Forces Pension Plan (SFPP)

If you stopped participating in SFPP on or after Jan 1, 1994, and would like to start the transfer, please fill in the form at Application to Transfer Pension Entitlements Between SFPP and LAPP

Under the National Transfer Agreement

If you would like to start the transfer, please fill in the form at Appendix A: Transfer Information Request and Authorization Form under the National Transfer Agreement

The National Transfer Agreement covers the following pension plans:

Under the Federal Transfer Agreement

There is currently no transfer agreement in place from Federal Public Service into LAPP. If you have any questions about the status of transfers, please contact us.

The Federal Transfer Agreement covers:

Public Service Superannuation Act

Will it Cost You Money to Transfer Service?

Possibly, but not necessarily.

Pension plans use different rules to figure out the relative worth of their members' contributions and benefits. We will calculate the cost of bringing the service you earned in the other plan over to LAPP, and then send you a package with the details before you decide whether or not you want to proceed.

All pension plans are "priced" differently. The benefit you earned in your previous plan might not match the cost of buying the same amount of service in LAPP. If your previous plan benefit cost at least as much the LAPP benefit, you will not have to pay anything else, and the full amount of service will be credited to LAPP.

On the other hand, if the cost of buying LAPP service is more than the benefit from your previous plan, this is called a shortfall. You will receive a portion of the service credit you had originally earned, but you will have the option of buying back the difference. Paying for this buyback means you could retire earlier with a larger LAPP pension than if you did not buy the service.

What if I Have Service in a Plan that is Not on the List?

If your former plan is not on the list, you may still be able to buy the service that you earned with them through a process called a buyback.