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 The
Money Management Newsletter: Retirement
Income Planning
You may be able to unlock your LIF, LIRA or
LRIF account in a financial emergency
By the Money Management Editor
Money Management Newsletter
If you live in Ontario, you may be able to unlock a locked-in account which
contains money transferred from your pension plan for certain expenses in
times of serious financial hardship.
According to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the
regulator of pension plans, LIF, LIRA or LRIF account unlocking is a last
resort and must be reserved as an alternative in particular circumstances
when there is no other sufficient source of money. You cannot withdraw
from your account for a trip to Europe, for example.
What is a locked-in account?
In general, any money transferred from an Ontario-registered pension plan
into a locked-in account must remain "locked in" and can only
be used to provide retirement income. There are three types of Ontario-regulated
locked-in accounts:
- Locked-in retirement account (LIRA)
- Life income fund (LIF)
- Locked-in retirement income fund (LRIF)
When can I unlock my account?
Application for special access to these accounts may be made, using the
appropriate FSCO unlocking form, in the following situations:
* You are facing specific types of financial hardship, such as the inability
to pay your rent or mortgage.
* You have an expected income of $28,066.67 or less (for 2006). This amount
changes every year.
* Your life expectancy is two years or less, in the opinion of a physician
licensed to practice medicine in Canada.
* You are at least 55 years old and the total value of the funds in all
of your locked-in accounts is less than $16,840 (for 2006).
Is there a fee for unlocking my account?
Yes. To partially offset FSCO's administrative costs, successful applicants
will be charged a fee equal to two per cent (minimum: $200, maximum: $600)
of the amount the applicant is entitled to withdraw.
More information about unlocking your account, downloadable forms, and
guides to filling them out are available on FSCO's website at www.fsco.gov.on.ca.
With files from FSCO and News Canada 7/2006
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, Fiscal Agents Money Management Newsletter
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