You’re in good hands! Since 2001, We Have Helped to Transfer Hundreds of UK Company Pensions, Tax-Free.

Speak with Ron Craig at 888-504-4042 or fill out the form below.

A company pension transfer to Canada is straightforward when you receive proper guidance.

My name is Ron Craig and I’d be happy to answer your questions and provide the guidance you need for your particular situation. Note, we only handle company and personal pension transfers – state pensions cannot be transferred.

Every case is slightly different and I’m sure you have questions. The best way to reach me is to simply call 888-504-4042 (Toll Free) or fill out the form to email me. There is no charge for the call.

About Ron Craig

Ron Craig is an international banker and consultant with a specialization in QROPS. He emigrated to Canada in 1987 and regularly provides consulting services to financial institutions and individuals. Ron is qualified as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators and as an Associate of The Institute of Bankers in Scotland. He lives in Toronto, Canada.

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Take Full Control of Your Pension

  • You can bring the lump sum value of your UK Company and Personal pensions to Canada.
  • Your pension fund proceeds are transferred, tax free, to an RRSP in Canada. You can invest the money sheltered from tax and make withdrawals when you choose to.
  • You will have full control of how the money is invested for you in Canada without the inconvenience of dealing with a company across the pond in a different time zone.
  • The UK pension market is changing significantly and frequently – not always for the better. You can avoid the associated risks.

Save Money and Get All The Benefits

  • If you take your pension in regular payments from the UK but live in Canada, the dollars you receive will be subject to swings in exchange rates. Each payment will get a retail exchange rate (much lower than the headline rate) and be after transaction costs which can run to around $20 each time.
  • It is much easier to budget for retirement when your income and assets are in the same currency as your expenses.
  • Some UK pension plans have little or no spousal benefits – if you transfer to an RRSP, spousal rollover means that the entire amount can be passed to the surviving spouse’s RRSP with no immediate tax effect.

Act today and you will soon enjoy these benefits:

Growing Your Pension Faster

When you leave a company and its pension plan, your pension entitlement normally increases by the lower of inflation or some small percentage – often 2 or 3%. If you bring your funds to Canada, you can invest the money in a way that could exceed these returns and provide a bigger pension.

Spousal Rollover

If a pension plan is transferred to an RRSP and the beneficiary dies, the investments can be transferred, tax free, to the surviving spouse. Tax will eventually be paid from the estate when the spouse passes on but the remainder will be available for beneficiaries. In the UK there could be a survivor’s pension (sometimes paying only half of the original pension). Once the spouse passes on, payments usually stop and there is nothing to leave to beneficiaries.

Avoiding Exchange Rate Risks

If you leave your UK pension plan outside Canada, you will eventually receive payments from it in local currency. You will have the expense and inconvenience of converting every payment to Canadian dollars. If you retire in Canada most of your expenses will be in Canadian dollars. All of the time you are enjoying your pension payments you are subject to swings in exchange rates. If you are lucky your income will be worth more than your expenses but what happens if the reverse is true?

You can remove this uncertainty by having your pension fund assets (income) and liabilities (expenses) in the same currency.

Increased Flexibility

With most pension plans, you must start to draw the pension on a fixed date e.g. age 60 or 65. You may be required to purchase an annuity. Once your monies are transferred to a retirement fund in Canada, your investments can basically be left to grow, tax free, until you need them. There are few restrictions and no requirement to purchase an annuity but you can certainly do that if you wish.

Most pension funds give you little or no choice in how your funds are invested. Working with a fully qualified, registered financial adviser, you can create a portfolio that suits your needs perfectly. You can invest in just about anything that suits your appetite for risk (or the lack of it!).

Simplified Administration

If you have more than one pension plan, you may be able to consolidate them into a single retirement savings account. You will have great flexibility over the mix and type of investments held in your account but you will have the simplicity of receiving regular reports on a single statement and will only have to deal with one administrator.

There is currently a window of opportunity for tax-effective transfers of pension monies. Nobody knows how long it will stay open.

Note: If you already have a QROPS and are unhappy with your investment performance, we can help you.

You Should Know:

There are no FCA Approved Advisers in Canada; they must be licensed in the UK. Many don't have the required experience. Since 2001, we have vetted the best advisers to ensure a smooth transfer and the lowest possible taxes.

We're Sure You Have Questions

How does the pension transfer process work with Ron Craig?

Ron Craig will help you with the four key steps:

  1. Learn if your pension plans are eligible for transfer and about any tax consequences. Not all pensions can or should be transferred.
  2. Choose an experienced QROPS investment adviser in Canada who will invest the transfer proceeds according to your wishes. Appointing the wrong adviser may cause unnecessary risk and expense.
  3. Get expert guidance on completing the transfer forms and, if required by UK law, appoint a pension adviser and, finally,
  4. Instruct the pension company to complete the transfer.

When the funds arrive in Canada your appointed adviser will make the investments and you will have the prospect of a better retirement.

Can all pensions be transferred tax-effectively?

No. There are basically two types of pension plan: (1) “Occupational Plans” where as part of a remuneration package an employer provides a retirement plan for employees (sometimes employees are allowed or are required to make extra contributions), and (2) “Personal Plans” where individuals (and or employers) make contributions which are invested to provide retirement income.

Occupational Pension plans can be transferred to a Canadian Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).

No tax is deducted in the UK and while the monies remain in the RRSP, no tax is payable in Canada. Although HM Revenue & Customs (formerly the Inland Revenue) will allow tax-free transfers of Personal Pension Plans from the UK, if a Personal Pension has all of its contributions made by the beneficiary i.e. there have been no company/employer contributions, it is not formally recognized as a pension in Canada and the receipt of the pension monies could create a tax liability in Canada for the beneficiary.

Upon request by e-mail we will be happy to inform you when we find a solution or we become aware of changes in relevant legislation.

The above is not intended to be a definitive analysis of tax law. The comments contained herein are general in nature and professional advice regarding your particular tax position should be obtained in light of your specific circumstances.

How much does it cost?

Depending on the value and type of pension that you have, HM Revenue & Customs (formerly the Inland Revenue) may require that you have professional advice to determine if it is in your best interests to transfer a pension.

Advice from an adviser recognized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is required for Defined Benefit plans with a transfer value of £30,000 or over. We can determine if the advice is necessary and find a qualified adviser for you.

The professional adviser will charge a fee for this advice – it can usually be deducted from the proceeds of the lump sum being transferred. If advice is required for your pension, the pension fund trustees will not release the funds for transfer without receiving a written copy of the advice. Click here to watch a video explaining the advice process.

What Others Have to Say

Ron is excellent to work with! He knows his stuff and is very responsive. Definitely the first person I would call with a question about a UK pension.

B.L.

I am very experienced with UK pension transfers and use Ron Craig as my consultant all the time. He has more knowledge and insight on the topic than anyone I know. Highly recommend him!!

K.D.

Ron Craig is an extremely knowledgeable and helpful individual. I am grateful for his help.

C.M.

Very knowledgeable, friendly and easy to work with. Ron, along with his colleague in the UK, sorted out my private pension issue very quickly and satisfactorily.

T.D.

My office has had the pleasure of working with Ron Craig and his team at PensionTransfer.ca on many UK pension transfers using the QROPS program. Ron is a leader in Canada for his service and expertise in this area. His knowledgebase, resources and contacts both here in Canada and in the U.K. are extensive and effective. I strongly support and endorse the use of his services.

C.G.