Your contributions
Your pension is worth so much more than just the contributions you make.
Contributing to your future
CAAT Pension Plan makes it easy to save for retirement and build a stable, predictable retirement income. You build your pension while you work and contribute a percentage of your earnings into the Plan with each pay, and your employer contributes on your behalf. Contributions are used to fund your pension, but your pension is worth so much more than just the contributions you make.
You receive immediate tax savings when you contribute to the Plan
Your pension contributions are deducted from your gross income, which reduces your taxable income – the amount on which your taxes are deducted. By the end of the year, the income on which you pay taxes has been reduced by the amount of your pension contributions. This has the same effect as an RRSP contribution – but your employer reduces your tax right away, so that you don't have to wait until you file your tax return.
Your employer contributes on your behalf
The contributions you and your employer make are prudently invested in the Plan fund from which your pension is paid when you retire.
The contributions you and your employer make are allowed to accumulate in the pension fund tax-free
Once you retire and begin collecting your pension from the Plan, income tax will be applied to your payments. However, in most cases, it will be at a lower marginal tax rate than when you were employed.
Remain a contributing member even if you change employers
Once you join the Plan, you cannot opt out or stop contributions while employed with a participating employer.
DBprime contribution rates
DBprime contribution rates are 10.2% on earnings below the Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE) and 13.8% on earnings above the YMPE, matched by your employer.
Your contributions are based on your contributory earnings, which include basic salary and other payments such as shift premiums and coordinator allowances, but do not include overtime pay, most lump sum termination payments, and certain other types of payments.
DBprime contribution rates decreased on January 1, 2025. Read more about these changes.
DBplus contribution rates
DBplus contribution rates were set by your employer when it joined CAAT Pension Plan. Employers also contribute on your behalf. DBplus contributions are based on employment earnings as defined by your employer but in most cases is equal to your T4 earnings.
Please login to CAAT’s member portal, My Pension, to see your contribution rates and your employer's contribution rates and refer to your latest annual statement.
More about your contributions
Click on the title to read an article, or use the "Visit the support centre" button to see more.
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