How to Apply for a Pension
	Three Basic Steps to Retirement I Gather Your Documents
	Three basic steps to retirement 1. Three or four months before you plan to retire, let us know your expected retirement date. 2. You may apply to retire online or we'll send you a retirement package containing all the information you need to finalize your plans. The package includes an application and other forms you must complete and return to us. 3. When everything is ready, we'll send you a statement showing your final pension calculation. Your pension will be deposited into your account on the last business day of the month your pension starts.
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	Gather your documents If we don’t already have them on file, and chances are we don’t, we’ll need copies of the following documents before we can pay your pension. Your birth certificate and your spouse’s birth certificate If you cannot obtain a birth certificate, we will accept a baptismal certificate, a Canadian passport (provided it was issued after Jan. 22, 1969), or proof of Canadian citizenship. If you can’t find a birth certificate that was issued in Ontario, you can obtain a replacement copy in as little as 15 business days by applying online. To obtain a copy by other methods, contact the Registrar General at 416-325-8305 or toll free at 1-800-461-2156. TOP Marriage certificate If you don’t have a marriage certificate and you were married in Ontario, contact the Registrar General for a replacement copy at 416-325-8305 or toll free at 1-800-461-2156. If you don’t have a marriage certificate and you were married outside Ontario, we require an affidavit of your marital status. An affidavit is a written statement sworn before a Commissioner of Oaths or notary public, such as a lawyer. You can find a notary public in the Yellow Pages. If you have a common-law spouse, please complete a Statutory Declaration of Common-law Relationship, found in the forms section under Common Law Spouses. TOP Your separation agreement If you don’t have a separation agreement, please complete a Statutory Declaration of Separation. If you’re now divorced, we need your divorce papers instead of your separation papers. TOP Your divorce papers If your divorce occurred after 1984, we require a photocopy of either your divorce order or certificate of divorce. If your divorce occurred before 1985, we require a copy of your decree absolute. If you can’t find your divorce papers, contact the Central Divorce Registry at 613-957-4519 and ask for your divorce file number. Once you have the file number, you can request proof of your divorce from the court where the divorce was heard. Contact the Ministry of the Attorney General to locate court offices in Ontario or visit its website at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts. TOP Your CPP Notice of Entitlement This document is needed only if you are receiving or have been approved for a disability pension from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Contact CPP directly at 1-800-277-9914 to replace a missing notice or for more information.
	We will accept documents in languages other than English and French if accompanied by a translation of the entire document.

	Posted November 2006	TOP