2024 August Pension Points for Employers
ATRF-CS Update and Contribution Rate Reduction Reminder
The August 2024 ATRF-CS Build #556 will include the updated ATA rates and the reduced contribution rates for the Teachers’ Pension Plan (TPP) and Private School Teachers’ Pension Plan (PSTPP), effective September 1, 2024. An email will be sent once the build has been updated.
Electronic Contribution Remittance
Did you know pension contributions can be remitted electronically in several different ways? ATRF will accept any of the following payment methods:
- Direct deposit / Automated Clearing House (ACH)
- Online bill payment (ATB, BMO, Canadian credit unions, CIBC / Simplii Financial, National Bank, RBC, Scotiabank / Tangerine, and TD Canada Trust)
- Canadian dollar wire via SWIFT
Please refer to our Electronic Bill Payments FAQ page if you have questions about how to set up your electronic bill payments. If you have any other inquiries, including ATRF’s complete direct deposit information, you may contact ATRF’s Financial Services department.
Wanted: School Collaboration with ATRF to Capture Amazing Moments
ATRF wants to feature K-12 school life in a series of candid snapshots and videos that we can use for social media posts, videos, website articles, newsletters and our annual report. From bustling classrooms to spirited recess moments, this is a great opportunity to showcase one of your schools’ scholastic, artistic, or athletic talent!
Take a look at the images from our latest photoshoot, with It Takes a Village Kindergarten and Preschool below. Read the full article to hear more about the perks of joining us on this photographic adventure.
Update on ATRF's New Employer Portal
We’ve been working diligently this past school year on the development and preliminary testing of a secure, web-based employer portal. We are excited to bring you a modernized tool that will be user-friendly and meet your needs based on your feedback.
We anticipate the rollout of the new employer portal will take place in the second half of 2025. We will share more details, including dates for training, when they become available. We will be engaging with employers along the way to plan the rollout and consider what will work best for everyone.
Click below to read more about upcoming training sessions and a sneak peek at the new employer portal.
Quick Notes
ATRF Forms
Do you have ATRF forms on hand? It’s actually not necessary to provide new teachers with an Information Update form or a Beneficiary Designation form since they will be included in their ATRF welcome package. You can let your new teachers know that they will receive their ATRF welcome package shortly after you have reported their first month of service in ATRF-CS.
If you are providing ATRF forms, it is best practice to access the forms from our website on an ‘as needed’ basis to ensure you are always providing the most recent version. Also, please remind the teacher to complete the form in its entirety as all of the captured data is required for future benefit calculations.
Wondering what else you have to do (from a pension perspective) when you onboard new teachers? Take a look at this Onboarding New Teachers article for more information. Please continue to invite your teachers to visit our website (atrf.com) and promote the use of MyPension.
New Teachers and Transfer Deadlines
New teachers, such as those that were previously employed in the Alberta public sector (e.g., educational assistants) or Federal public service (e.g., teaching in the Territories), have important transfer deadlines regarding their pensions. Please remind them to contact ATRF regarding their pension options before it is too late.
Or if they prefer, they can find us at the Beginning Teachers’ Conference, where we can answer all their pension questions. Just tell them to look for our information booth with the green tablecloth. We appreciate your assistance in providing this important information to your new teachers.