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What happens to pensions when spouses separate?

Last updated on March 6, 2024

In B.C., the rules about the division of pensions apply to both married couples and unmarried couples who have been living together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years.

There are different rules for dividing pension benefits, depending on whether or not the pension has commenced by the time the relationship ends, and the kind of pension plan.

Pension division can be complicated. For more information, see Questions and Answers about Pension Division on the Breakdown of a Relationship in British Columbia, the British Columbia Law Institute publication on pension division under the Family Law Act.

We recommend you get legal advice before you make any final decisions about division of pensions.

Check out these resources from Legal Aid BC:

Visit a Justice Access Centre:

Talk with a family justice counsellor at a Family Justice Centre.

British Columbia has a central authority that assists left-behind parents whose children have been abducted across international borders.