First Meeting with Relocation Advisor

This week we had our first meeting with our Relocation Advisor. This meeting is important because we learn all of the benefits to which we are entitled for this move. The moving process is also explained and we learn what we are permitted and not permitted to do.

Here is what happens.

Posting Message is Received

As soon as the posting message is received, we register with the relocation team. They open a profile for us on their secure website. When we log in, we can see the step-by-step process of a typical move. It is very easy to navigate their website.

Preparation for First Meeting

Once our profile was created, a relocation advisor was assigned. The advisor sent an email with a date/time for the meeting and requested certain information including:

• CAF Documents:
  • Copy of the posting message – This document shows the move has been approved by the military and shows the military unit to which you are moving. In the new location, your new residence must be within the defined geographical boundaries of the new job.
  • Pay Statement as provided by the military unit chief clerk – Many moving benefits are related to pay level as shown within the human resources system. This document shows the breakdown of salary, pension contributions, income tax withheld, etc. It is similar information to what would be provided on an annual T4 slip.
  • Verification of pay and dependents as provided by the military unit the chief clerk – The moving benefits only apply to the dependents listed on this form. Although our son who is at university in Canada is still considered a dependent (he is under 21 years old and a full-time student), he will not be moving with us so he is not listed on this particular form.
• Banking Information:
  • A copy of a voided cheque or other official document from the bank verifying your account information so that deposits can be made directly to your Canadian bank account.
• Vehicle Documents:
  • Registration forms for must be provided for all personal motorized vehicles (PMV), motorcycles, trailers, and RV’s that will be moved. We have no vehicles to transport on this move. This saves us some paperwork with regards to the move but we will have to sell our British car and buy a new one in the U.S.
• If you own a home:
  • A copy of the Listing Agreement (the contract you signed with your Realtor)
  • A copy of a document confirming your ownership of the home at origin (such as Certificate of Title, Certification of Registered Owner or Transfer of Ownership-Deed of Purchase)
  • A copy of the existing Survey/Certificate of Location or Real Property Report (to confirm lot size)
  • The original Agreement of Purchase (only if you expect a loss on the sale of your current residence)
  • A copy of the accepted Agreement of Sale (only if you have already accepted an offer on your current residence)
• If you rent a home:
  • A copy of the Rental Accommodation or Lease Agreement (only if there is a lease-breaking penalty)
  • A copy of your notice to vacate your current rental property

We are currently living in military owned housing in the U.K. (a rental property). There is no lease-breaking penalty so we only had to provide a notice to vacate our current rental property.

Due to the wonders of technology, the relocation website allows registered users to upload documents directly to their own private email box over a secure connection. This is much better than attaching a dozen documents to an unsecured email – and much easier than sending them by FAX as we did 10 years ago.

All of the above documents are needed to calculate the amount of funding/benefits entitlements for the move.

The First Meeting

Our relocation advisor was very nice. She explained all of the details involving our move.

There are three levels of benefits called “funding envelopes.” The amount of funds in these envelopes is based on the specific move (distance), the family size, and a few other factors.

CORE: These benefits are essential to a move (e.g. moving van, hotels and meals while HG&E are being transported). Members are not required to use these benefits but unused benefits cannot be exchanged or assigned a monetary value to pay for other benefits or expenses. If core benefits are not used, they are forfeited.

CUSTOMIZED: The funds in this envelope are used to enhance a move (e.g. shipment of pets, additional cleaning fees for new home). Members are not required to use the funds available for benefits but unused funds are forfeited.

PERSONALIZED: The funds in this envelope can be used for non-essential but attributable to a move (e.g. shipping RV). Members are not required to use the funds available for benefits and unused returned to the member.

It is important to note that some of the benefits paid from the customized and personalized are taxable and the payout of unused funds from the personalized envelope is taxable. We will be issued a T4 for our move at the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, we cannot claim benefits paid for by the military on our income taxes as moving expenses.

The Next Steps

We need to organize a house-hunting trip. The relocation team will book our travel so we must submit our travel dates and preferred flight timings.

We will need the services of a realtor/rental agent at our new location so we must get in touch with someone and arrange that as well.

We have to prepare to move out of our current residence.

Here’s a flowchart that was provided to us. The green items show what has been completed. The yellow items are in process. The items regarding sale/purchase of residence have been crossed out because they do not apply to us in this move.