Hi ! David, Recently retired from the BC gov’t with 30 yrs of service at age 55. During my career
in the courts, I never took long term illness for my GAD, generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by my Dr.in 2014, with meds. I have keep quiet for years, but recently I have been more depressed and excessive
worrying over nothing. I want to finish my career with 35 yrs of service but I had to leave due to violent
nature of inmates and observing/listening to daily violent court proceedings.I have no desire to work any more due to burn out. My question is eligibility for the CPP disability pension to age 65 and receiving my gov’t pension ? conflict ? Your thoughts please.
If you qualify for CPP disability payments, you can get them right up to age 65. Sometimes receiving CPP disability payments can impact the amount of your retirement pension payment. You would need to ask your work pension administrator about this.
Dave,thank you for your time. I have check with the BC Pension plan, they told me my union pension will not be affected by my entitlement to disability pension. They state its totally
separate.
Perfect then you should have no problem receiving both pensions. Don’t give up on the CPP-D if your initial claim gets denied. Keep appealing and seek professional help if you have to go to the Tribunal Stage.
I first applied for CPP disability benefits in 2008 after getting a lawyer for disability benefits from my company insurer, who initially rejected my claim. During a meeting, the company then offered me two years disability pay to 2010 which I accepted, as I had hoped to improve medically and return to work. As I was told I had to apply for CPP disability benefits, I did so. However, I moved I never did get an answer as per CPP disability benefits. I tried to return to work in 2010, but the company made it very difficult. The company finally offered me a lump sum to take early retirement. As I was an emotional basketcase by this time, I accepted and left in 2010. I started to receive an early retirement company pension. I did not work, but in 2013, I tried to work part-time, had to leave due to my disability, then I worked part time again in 2014 and 2015, but due to medical issues, again had to leave. Early 2016 I began to receive CPP regular reduced as I just turned 60. Foolishly, I did not apply for CPP disability again as I didn’t think I could get it at 60. Upon reading about it, I recently realized if within 15 months of regular CPP I could still apply for CPP disability and did so last month, in the 14 th month. I took my application directly to CPP office and it was stamped and it is now on record. I got it in just in time. I then was told I had applied in 2008, but was denied. I had forgotten all about it and never received the letter of denial as I had moved and thus never followed up. However, even if I had, I received 2 years disability benefit and one year attrition between 2008 and 2010, when I took early retirement. Anyway, the CPP person I spoke with stated maybe it was not worth going on CPP disability, however it was my choice. It was stated to me I would have to pay back all my regular CPP benefits for 14 months, and more until my claim is actually approved. My CPP disability payment would be a little over $900 monthly. Employment income in 2013, 14, 15 was all under 5K per annum as it was part time and I could not even handle that. So, my question is after all this rambling is, I have to pay back all the benefits for CPP retirement from age 60 to when I get approval, also assuming more time for appeals etc, as I realize probably most apps are denied in the first place. So I get a lump sum of the 900 monthly for 11 months, then pay back about the same is benefits? However, I do not see why the lady at CPP would try to disuade me, as it would mean I would get the 900 monthly eventually if approved and the pay back would be a wash? As my disability was from 2008 actually, is there any case that CPP can go back "more than 11 months?
In my experience, pretty much everyone is better off financially by getting CPP disability to age 65 whenever that option is possible. There are two reasons: 1)The disability payment is more than the regular CPP-R payment and 2) Getting CPP-D to age 65 will (in theory) increase your CPP-R payment amount when you take it at age 65. I would not listen to the Service Canada worker who told you not to bother. The back payment goes 12 months back including the month you apply. It then continues to grow each month after your date of application until your claim is approved. So by the time your claim is approved your back payment will be much more than 11 months. More likely 15 months or more.
Thank you so much for this information. I will not listen to what I was told. I did not realize if approved ( which should the case, eventually ) I would receive more than just the retro amount. Obviously, it was an attempt to have me not continue with my claim. I appreciate your help