Commonly asked questions on retirement benefits
For Pensionable Officers
Besides, pension suspension will also not apply to pensioners who take up post-retirement employment with subvented organisations.
Example 1
The maximum commutation rate for pension gratuity is 50% under NPS. It is assumed that an officer has opted 50% and received the maximum commuted pension gratuity of $1,680,000 and a monthly pension of $10,000 on retirement. The officer then passes away three months later. In this situation, no death gratuity will be payable to the spouse or the legal personal representative of the officer concerned.
(Explanation -
Example 2
The maximum commutation rate for pension gratuity is 25% under OPS. It is assumed that the maximum commuted pension gratuity calculated in respect of an officer concerned is $840,000. The officer has not opted for any commuted pension gratuity at time of retirement but only a monthly pension of $20,000. The officer then passes away two years later. In this situation, a death gratuity of an amount $360,000 will be payable to the spouse or the legal personal representative of the officer concerned.
(Explanation -
For Officers on Civil Service Provident Fund (CSPF) Scheme
- retires from the civil service on or after reaching the prescribed retirement age;
- dies in service (in which case the accrued benefits will be paid to the member’s personal representative);
- retires from the service due to permanent incapacity;
- leaves the civil service after having completed at least 10 years of continuous service since first appointment on civil service terms; or
- upon payment of accrued benefits derived from the mandatory contributions to him/her on the ground of terminal illness as provided under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (MPFSO).
- retires from the civil service on or after reaching the prescribed retirement age;
- dies in service (in which case the accrued benefits will be paid to the member’s personal representative); or
- retires from the service due to permanent incapacity.
Alternatively, SDSC will be fully vested and payable to a member if he/she is a serving disciplined services officer immediately before payment to him/her of his/her accrued benefits attributable to the mandatory contributions on the ground of terminal illness.
The accrued benefits attributable to the GVC of a CSPF member who resigns on completion of 10 continuous years of service since first appointment on civil service terms will, subject to the provisions that mentioned in the following paragraph, be fully vested and payable to him/her. However, the accrued benefits attributable to the SDSC is not payable unless the member satisfies one of the above vesting conditions for SDSC.
There are provisions to enable the forfeiture and reduction of accrued benefits attributable to the GVC and SDSC on disciplinary grounds, and withholding of such benefits in case of doubt.
- reaching age 65;
- early retirement between age 60 and 64 (permanent cessation of employment);
- permanent departure from Hong Kong;
- total incapacity;
- a small balance account of $5,000 or less, and no contributions have been made to a Mandatory Provident Fund scheme for 12 months;
- death (the accrued benefits will be regarded as part of the member’s estate to be claimed by the personal representative of the estate); or
- terminal illness.