Get up to a $5,000 advance if you qualify!

Private service notice: Can You Unlock is a private prequalification and referral service. We are not a government agency and do not process applications for Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security or other government benefits.

Can you unlock your pension plan?

Find out if you qualify to unlock your LIRA, LRSP or RPP. Start with our free, no-obligation prequalification form.

Do I qualify?

Get up to a $5,000 advance if you qualify!

Welcome to Can You Unlock!

We specialize in helping eligible clients unlock their pension funds. Our prequalification and referral service helps you explore your options, even if your bank has previously declined your request. Eligibility depends on your plan, governing jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Guidance Through the Process

Our caseworkers explain the requirements, fees and steps before you decide to proceed.

Free Prequalification

Find out if you meet our pension unlocking requirements. No obligation to proceed.

Advance of up to $5,000

Qualified clients can receive an advance while waiting for their pension funds. Amounts, timing and applicable terms will be explained before you proceed.

We help eligible clients unlock funds from the following types of pension plans:

Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA)
Locked-in Retirement Savings Plan (LRSP)

Registered Pension Plan (RPP) / Union Plan
DCPP (Defined Contribution Pension Plan)

You may qualify for pension unlocking even if you are not experiencing financial hardship. To qualify for our service, you must no longer work for the employer that established the pension plan. Additional requirements depend on your plan, governing jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Want to know if you qualify? Complete our free, no-obligation prequalification form. It takes approximately two minutes, and no Social Insurance Number or date of birth is required at this stage. Prequalification does not guarantee approval for pension unlocking or an advance. Complete information about fees, taxes and deductions is provided below.

Answer the following quick questions to find out if we can help you or not.

Pre-qualification questionnaire

What type of pension plan do you have?

Why did you receive your pension plan?

Who has the pension plan currently?

What is the current value of your pension plan?

Minimum plan value: $35,000

How much do you want to unlock?

Minimum unlock amount: $35,000

Do you need a cash advance to address an immediate financial emergency?

For qualified clients, advances range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the value of the pension plan.

Yes

First name

Phone number

How did you hear about us?

Prequalification is free and does not commit you to proceed. No Social Insurance Number or date of birth is required at this stage. Submitting this form does not guarantee eligibility for pension unlocking or an advance.
We will request your permission before sharing your information with a referral partner. If you qualify and choose to continue, fees, taxes and deductions will apply. Review our Fees, Taxes and Staying in Control section below.

Fees, Taxes and Staying in Control

Free prequalification

Prequalification is free and does not commit you to proceed.

Service fee

If you qualify and choose to proceed, the service provider charges a service fee equal to 8.99% of the total amount unlocked. HST of 13% applies to the service fee only.

Optional advance

Qualified clients may choose to receive an advance while waiting for their pension funds. A fee equal to 10% of the advance amount applies. No HST applies to the advance fee.

For example, if you receive a $1,000 advance, $1,100 will be deducted from your final pension payment. This consists of the $1,000 advanced to you and the $100 advance fee.

Withdrawal taxes

Applicable income tax withholding is deducted from the amount withdrawn. This deduction is separate from the service fee, HST and any advance fee. The tax withheld may not cover your final income tax liability. Additional tax may be payable when you file your income tax return.

You stay in control

You may cancel at any time before receiving your final pension payment without cancellation fees. If you have already received an advance, you must repay only the amount advanced to you.

Before you decide to proceed, your caseworker will explain the applicable fees, deductions and estimated amount you will receive.

Do you need more information first?

Find out how it works!

Frequently asked questions

What is a locked-in pension plan?

What are the different types of pension plan?

There are several types of pension plans and retirement accounts. Their transfer and withdrawal rules depend on the applicable legislation.

LIRA (Locked-In Retirement Account)
An account that holds funds transferred from a pension plan governed by provincial pension legislation. Withdrawals are restricted unless applicable unlocking requirements are met.

LRSP (Locked-In Retirement Savings Plan)
A locked-in retirement savings arrangement commonly used for funds originating from a federally regulated pension plan. Check your account documents to confirm the governing legislation.

RLSP (Restricted Locked-In Savings Plan)
A federally regulated savings arrangement that holds locked-in pension funds. It is different from a Restricted Life Income Fund (RLIF), which is used for the federal one-time 50% unlocking option when its conditions are met.

LIF (Life Income Fund)
A retirement income account funded with locked-in pension savings. Annual withdrawals are generally subject to minimum and maximum limits, with additional access possible under applicable unlocking rules.

RRIF (Registered Retirement Income Fund)
An account that provides retirement income from registered savings. It requires minimum annual withdrawals. A regular RRIF is not itself a locked-in pension account.

PRIF (Prescribed Retirement Income Fund)
A retirement income arrangement available under Manitoba and Saskatchewan pension rules. It generally requires minimum annual withdrawals without the annual maximum that applies to a LIF. Transfer eligibility and other conditions depend on the jurisdiction.

LRIF (Locked-In Retirement Income Fund)
A retirement income arrangement used for Newfoundland and Labrador pension funds. Withdrawals are subject to applicable minimum and maximum limits.

RPP (Registered Pension Plan)
An employer-sponsored pension plan. It may be a defined benefit or defined contribution plan. Options after leaving employment depend on the plan and applicable legislation.

DCPP (Defined Contribution Pension Plan)
A type of RPP in which contributions are defined and the value of the account depends on contributions and investment performance.

Not all of these plans are covered by our unlocking service. See the eligibility questions below for the types we can assess.

Who are you?

How much do you charge?

Who are your service providers?

If I pre-qualify, what will happen?

Why can't I skip the pre-qualification and apply right away?

What types of plans qualify to be unlocked?

What types of plans do not qualify to be unlocked?

Can You Unlock

1-888-546-6607 info@canyouunlock.com

Business hours

Monday to Friday: 9 AM to 5 PM

Eastern Time Zone

Do I qualify?

Business Address

66 Wellington Street West

Toronto, ON M5J 2W4, Canada

For correspondence, please contact us by email at info@canyouunlock.com. Please do not send mail to this address.