Common-law and Same-gender Relationships

If you establish a common-law or same-gender relationship, it is important you complete an Information Update Form  and a Designating a Beneficiary Form to provide the following information:

• change of address
• your spouse/pension partner’s name and date of birth
• change in your beneficiary designation (Someone other than your spouse/pension partner.)

Both forms can be downloaded from our website or obtained from your employer or ATRF.

Providing your spouse/pension partner information will allow us to provide more detailed information on your Plan Member Statement.

Your spouse/pension partner is automatically your first beneficiary, regardless of who you have named as your beneficiary. For more information about priority of beneficiaries see the Death section.

Under common-law or same-gender relationships, pensions are not considered matrimonial property and may not be shared as the result of the breakdown of the relationship.