09/08/2026
Your pension decision often comes down to one core question, do you value guaranteed income or control and flexibility?
Staying in your defined benefit pension provides predictable lifetime income, with payments determined by plan rules and no requirement to make ongoing investment decisions. For many, this simplicity and structure is appealing.
Taking the commuted value gives you control over how your money is invested, flexibility around withdrawals within regulatory limits, and the ability to keep assets in your name for estate planning purposes. In exchange, you take on responsibility for investment outcomes and give up the lifetime income provided by the pension.
Neither option is universally better. The right choice depends on your comfort with investment risk, your desire for control, your other retirement income sources, and your estate goals.
Your pension is a significant part of your retirement picture. If you’d like help weighing these tradeoffs, I’m happy to walk through your options with you.
When you retire or change employers, you may face a significant financial decision: Should you stay in your pension plan, or transfer the assets to accounts under your control?www.edwardjones.ca/ca-en