| Alberta Teachers' Association

All teachers under contract with school jurisdictions and charter schools in Alberta are required to contribute to their pension plan, as per the Teachers’ Pension Plans Act. The Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (ATRF) administers these plans.

It’s never too early to think about retirement

Retiring is one of the most important decisions you will make—start planning as early as you can!

Retirement workshops

The ATA offers several workshops about retirement and financial planning. These workshops occur throughout each school year and are listed on the events calendar

Early Service Teachers: Understand Your Pension

Online evening workshop

This evening retirement information session offers general information on the Alberta teachers’ pension plan, planning personal savings, Federal benefits and other retirement income sources for early service teachers. The session’s focus is on forward planning early in a teacher’s career, while emphasizing debt reduction and savings planning. Pension partners are also encouraged to attend.

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Pre-Retirement Workshop

Full-day Saturday session

Together, teachers and their pension partner will explore planning for retirement, the changing character of retirement and the process of making important decisions. Teachers will learn about financial and lifestyle planning before, during and after retirement from a teacher’s perspective. They will investigate various aspects of retiring, including building a financial plan, the Alberta Teachers’ Pension Plan, wills and estates, benefits and lifestyle planning for a successful and rewarding retirement.

Saturday, 2024 11 16 – Edmonton Public Teachers ONLY

Saturday, 2024 11 30 – Calgary Catholic Teachers ONLY

Saturday, 2024 12 14 – All Regions Teachers

Saturday, 2025 01 11 – Edmonton Catholic Teachers ONLY

Saturday, 2025 01 25 – Calgary Public Teachers ONLY

Saturday, 2025 02 01 – All Regions Teachers

Saturday, 2025 02 08 – All Regions Teachers

Saturday, 2025 03 01 – All Regions Teachers

Retirement Planning for Women

Online workshop

This session will focus on retirement planning for female teachers. Women and men face different challenges in their lives, and those challenges can have financial consequences. Women live longer, which means they will likely spend more years alone; therefore, they will need more retirement savings, so they don’t outlive their money. Teachers will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive workshop, which aims to improve women’s financial literacy and confidence.

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Financial Wellness with Capital Planning and MNP Debt Management

Online workshop

Join Capital Planning to dive into specific topic financial wellness topics:

Wednesday, 2024 09 25—Teacher Lunch & Learn – Two 30-minute sessions covering general Financial Wellness

Tuesday, 2024 11 05 (evening)—General investments (RRSP, TFSA), how compound interest works, understanding investment fees

Wednesday, 2025 01 22—Taxes and RRSPs, RRSP deadline, extra contributions.

February 2025—date to be determined - Debt management with MNP Debt

Wednesday, 2025 04 23—Insurance focused, identifying coverage gaps and risks, life insurance (term vs permanent) and critical illness insurance.

Links to register will be made available approximately on month prior to each date.

Considering early retirement?

Find out what Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) benefits you’re eligible for.

Run your pension estimate by logging into MyPension with your pension provider, the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (ATRF). MyPension Online Portal - Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF)
The information in your pension estimate under MyPension should be up-to-date (dependent upon your employer’s download of data to the ATRF). While there, play with different dates and determine what your best retirement date will be. Pension Information Statements - Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF)
If your pension amount isn’t what you expect, contact ATRF to determine why those discrepancies exist. For example, perhaps you had some leave periods (parental, maternity or other leaves) or other gaps where your years of service don’t mesh with your own numbers. Find out how/if you can purchase that service back.
Determine if you need to purchase service or arrange a service transfer, for example, if you have service with another defined benefit plan, such as a federal or provincial government body. These take time to finalize. Make sure you’re aware of the deadlines. Contact ATRF for help. Transferring Pension Service - Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF) | Purchasing Service - Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF)

Start planning with ATRF

Get information on pension amount, eligibility, and when you can retire

Contact ATRF

120 to 45 days prior to retirement

Review and complete the Steps to Retirement checklist

Before you apply for your pension, you must resign from your teaching contract. The Education Act requires you to give your employer at least 30 days’ written notice of your intention to resign. The 30 days’ notice must be received during the school year. If you intend to retire by August 31, you must give your notice by June 1.
Apply for retiree benefits from one of the retiree plans: ASEBP or the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (ARTA). If your division offers another retirement plan, do your own comparison of the plans to choose the best one that suits your needs. Please note that most benefits providers require 45–50 days for this process. You cannot complete the benefits application without involving your employer.
Contact ATRF to apply for your pension. Applications are processed in the order received, so you are encouraged to submit your application as early as possible but no more than 120 days before your pension commencement date.

Barnett House Closure Update

Retirement