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  • Pensions when you divorce

    Topics:
    • Teaching staff, 
    • Pension Scheme

    Information on what happens to your pension if you divorce including how the value of your pension is calculated and what happens if part of your pension is awarded to your ex-spouse or ex-civil partner.

    Effect of divorce or civil partnership dissolution

    If you divorce or your civil partnership is legally dissolved, the court may take into account the value of your pension benefits when apportioning the assets of the marriage or civil partnership.

    Valuing your pension

    The value of your pension will be assessed by calculating a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) that represents the cash value of the benefits you have accrued in the scheme

    Factors based on your age, service, salary and gender are used to calculate the current capitalised value of your pension, lump sum and dependant’s pension.

    Awarding part of my pension to my ex-spouse or ex-civil partner

    The court will award a percentage of the CETV to your ex-spouse or ex-civil partner.

    Your ex-spouse or ex-civil partner will be entitled to pension benefits at pension age based upon the amount awarded by the court.

    Your pension benefits will be reduced to take this into account.

    Related content

    • Actuarial reports
    • Additional pension
    • Annual Benefit Statements
    • Applying for retirement benefits
    • Career average revaluation rates
    • Customer service, and complaints
    • Family benefits
    • Governance of the Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme (NITPS)
    • Ill-health retirement benefits and re-employment
    • Ill-health Retirement Guide
    • Important pensions notices for all NITPS members
    • Maintaining and boosting your pension
    • McCloud Remedy / Goodwin Judgement
    • Membership elections
    • NI Teachers’ Pension Scheme Member Contribution Yield Consultation
    • Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme actuarial valuation 2016
    • Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme – Cost control valuation 2016
    • Northern Ireland Teachers’ Pension Scheme actuarial valuation 2020
    • Overview of the Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme (NITPS) including member factsheets
    • Partner benefits
    • Pension circulars
    • Pension Increase rates and career average revaluation
    • Pension regulations
    • Pensions calculators
    • Prospective Remedy Consultation
    • Retrospective Remedy Consultation
    • Returning to work after receiving pension benefits
    • Statement on the McCloud Judgement
    • Teachers' Pay & Pensions Team - Privacy Notice (effective from 25 May 2018)
    • Teachers' Pension System - Member and Employer Portals
    • The Money and Pensions Service, MoneyHelper, pensions blog for teachers in Northern Ireland
    • Transitional Protection Arrangements
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