After you’ve reached 55, your employer may allow you to choose early retirement.
If you do retire early, your benefits will be calculated based on what you have built up at the date of leaving. Your pension and lump sum (including your Cash Balance fund) will be reduced because they’re being paid early.
How does it work?
The reduction to your benefits will depend on different things, such as the age you retire and the years in which you earned your benefits. Specifically:
- For benefits you earned up to and including 31 March 2010: Your pension and lump sum will only be reduced if you retire before you turn 60. The reduction will depend on the number of full and partial years between your actual retirement date and your 60th birthday.
- For benefits you earned after 31 March 2010: Your pension and lump sum will only be reduced if you retire before you turn 65. The reduction will depend on the number of full and partial years between your actual retirement date and your 65th birthday.
For more information contact the Pensions Service Centre – contact details below.
Benefits earned to 31 March 2012 are paid from the RMSPS. However, any increase in pre 2012 benefits in excess of statutory increases, attributable to increases in pensionable pay, will be paid by the RMPP.