Hamilton Fire Department Pensioner's Association

	OMERS Pensions		CPP Overview	Pension Reps
			OAS Overview	Don Alford
	City Pension Contacts			Don Scarratt

Pensions & Benefits - HMRF

Pensions - HMRF - You and Your Retirement Benefits

		The Hamilton Municipal Retirement Fund (HMRF) was formed in 1957 and included most City of Hamilton employees. The previous HFD benevolent fund was transferred into the HMRF giving the older firefighters full service. The HMRF ceased enrolling new fire employees in Sept. 1965. All new fire employees were enrolled in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). All HMRF retirees have reached the age of 65 (Last one to do so was in 2011). Thus all HMRF retirees no longer have entitlement to any health benefit coverage they were afforded at retirement BUT, their spouses who are under the age of 65 have continuing coverage. (Spouses are required to apply and get a new number at the benefits offices at city hall, (905) 546-2424 - see contacts: Pension contacts. Your HMRF pension is increased every January by the amount calculated by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) which is equal to the average increase of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the past twenty-four months.               Survivor Death Benefit Your spouse will receive 66_2/3% of your pension the month following your death, unless you have elected another option at retirement. Your annual statement, issued in January, displays your survivor benefit percentage at the top of the page. Your Canada Pension Plan (C.P.P), payments are increased every January by the Canada Pension Plan, for the upcoming pension year. Your spouse is entitled to any CPP payment in the month of your death; all payments received after the month of your death must be returned. The CPP offices will calculate your surviving spouses benefit. Your estate trustee or survivor should also contact your City of Hamilton Pension contact at the earliest time possible at: City Pension Contacts. (Please note: the CPP survivors benefit is based on several factors.). See CPP retirement pension: Overview. Your Old Age Security (OAS) is increased every three months, starting each year in January. It is calculated by the average of the past three months over the average of the previous three months. The same rule applies as the CPP upon your death. There is a supplement available dependant on one's income. The OAS has a claw back system that begins when the net income of the recipient is over see amount at: OAS pension recovery tax. NOTE: you are NOT affected by any recent changes to the OAS. If you continue working after age 65, you now have the option of contributing to the CPP to the age of 70. (Our opinion is that it is not a wise investment.) In short, ALL of the above, HMRF, CPP and OAS payments received in the month of the pensioner's death may be kept and are cashable. ALL payments received the following month are to be returned. The above information is provided to you by your pension representatives to the best of their knowledge and is subject to changes, omissions and/or errors. If you require further information or clarification, please feel free to contact me (Don Alford). Don Skarratt / Don Alford Please note*     There are many illnesses and other health problems that the WSIB have afforded compensation to retired fire service members. If you have a health issue and would like more information to find out if you have coverage, contact me, Don Alford, and I will provide you with the phone number(s) of our current compensation representatives.

		Hamilton Fire Department Pensioner's Association - "The Group"
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