Debt remission is when we renounce our claim for an amount due, which releases you from repaying that amount. Debt remission can be
total or partial.
Debts incurred since 3 November 2015 are
automatically remitted, regardless of when we realize an overpayment has been made. These debts are related to:
- pension overpayments
- pension credit overpayments
- excess contribution refunds
- excess actuarial values of pensions.
Debt remission due to low income applies to any amount owing for which we have been unable to resort to automatic debt remission. To take advantage of debt remission due to low income, you must file an application, and provide certain proof as required.
Send your application to:
Retraite Québec
Régimes de retraite du secteur public
Case postale 5500, succursale Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 0G9
You will have to demonstrate that your income and that of your dependents, from all sources, is
below the low-income threshold determined by Statistics Canada (www.statcan.gc.ca 
). If this situation applies to you, you could be granted a
total debt remission. However, if your incomes are
equal to or higher than the low income threshold, the remission of your debt will be reduced by 20% for every $1000 of excess income. You will therefore be granted a
partial debt remission.
Note that even if your income is below the low income threshold, debt remission
does not apply if you could reasonably have been aware of the situation, and the overpayments were made due to:
- an administrative error
- an error in the data provided by your employer
- a change in the projected data for the period between the date on which you applied for the pension and the participation end date. That information must have been used to calculate the amounts that were overpaid or to grant benefits.
For more information about debt remission, refer to the
Cahier des normes (available in French only) on our website.