CPP Survivor Benefit Eligibility and Amount (2026)

The Canada Pension Plan survivor’s pension is paid to the surviving spouse or common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor. For January 2026, the maximum monthly survivor’s pension is $904.59 for a survivor aged 65 or older, and $803.54 for a survivor under 65 (consisting of a $238.17 flat-rate portion and up to $565.37 earnings-related portion). The actual amount depends on the deceased’s CPP contribution history and the survivor’s age at the time of the deceased’s death.

2026 CPP survivor benefit amounts

These are the maximum amounts paid only to survivors of contributors who paid at or above the year’s maximum pensionable earnings (YMPE) for most of their working years. The average survivor pension is significantly lower, around $300 to $500 per month, because most contributors do not earn at the YMPE for their entire career.

Eligibility requirements

To receive the CPP survivor’s pension, the survivor must have been the legal spouse or common-law partner of the deceased contributor at the time of death. The deceased must have made enough CPP contributions: contributions in at least one-third of the calendar years in their CPP contributory period (minimum three years), or in at least 10 calendar years.

Common-law partners must demonstrate cohabitation in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 months prior to the deceased’s death. Same-sex partnerships are recognized for survivor benefit purposes. A survivor who was separated but not divorced from the deceased may still qualify if no other common-law partner takes priority.

How the survivor’s pension is calculated

For survivors aged 65 and over, the survivor’s pension equals 60% of the deceased’s CPP retirement pension calculated as if the deceased had been 65 at the time of death. For survivors under 65, the calculation uses 37.5% of the deceased’s calculated retirement pension plus a flat-rate portion ($238.17 in 2026).

If the survivor is also receiving their own CPP retirement pension, the combined amount is capped. The combined CPP retirement and survivor pension cannot exceed the maximum CPP retirement pension at age 65 ($1,507.65 in 2026), regardless of what each pension calculates to individually. This is the “survivor pension cap” rule.

Survivor benefit by survivor age at deceased’s death

Combined CPP retirement and survivor pension

A survivor who already receives their own CPP retirement pension can receive both, but the combined monthly total is capped at the maximum CPP retirement pension at age 65 ($1,507.65 in 2026). For example, a survivor receiving $1,200/month of their own CPP retirement pension would receive at most $307.65 of additional survivor pension, even if the calculated survivor pension were higher.

How to apply

The survivor must apply for the CPP survivor’s pension; it is not automatic upon death. Applications use Form ISP-1300 (Application for a Canada Pension Plan Survivor’s Pension and Child(ren)’s Benefits). Service Canada also pays a one-time CPP death benefit of $2,500 to the estate or to whoever paid for the funeral.

Applications can take 6 to 12 weeks to process. The survivor’s pension begins the month following the deceased’s death (or up to 12 months retroactively from the application date, whichever is later). Filing the application as soon as practical avoids losing back-pay beyond the 12-month limit.

Effect on Quebec residents

Residents of Quebec receive the QPP (Quebec Pension Plan) survivor benefit instead of the CPP survivor’s pension, administered by Retraite Quebec. The QPP rules and amounts differ slightly. Survivors of contributors who paid into both CPP and QPP receive a single coordinated payment from one of the two plans, calculated using both contribution histories.