CPP Survivor Benefits
The CPP survivor benefits include the following:
Death benefit: a one-time, lump-sum payment of up to $2,500 (as of 2024, amount adjusted annually) that is paid to the estate of the deceased or to the person who paid for the funeral expenses.
Survivor’s pension: a monthly payment that is paid to the legal spouse or common-law partner of the deceased. The amount depends on the age of the survivor, the amount of the deceased’s CPP retirement pension and whether the survivor is receiving other CPP benefits.
Children’s benefit: a monthly payment that is paid to the dependent children of the deceased who are under 18 or between 18 and 25 and attending school full-time.
Survivor’s Pension
Given the survivor’s pension is the most impactful to retirement income, let’s take a closer look at how the benefit is calculated.
Do you qualify?
To qualify for the survivor’s pension, you must:
be legally married to a deceased CPP contributor.
or, be the common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor.
How much will you receive?
The amount you receive as a surviving spouse or common-law partner will depend on:
whether you are younger or older than age 65.
how much, and for how long, the deceased contributor has paid into the CPP.
If you are age 65 or older: You will receive 60% of the contributor's retirement pension if you are not receiving other CPP benefits.
If you are under age 65: You will receive a flat rate portion and 37.5% of the contributor's retirement pension if you are not receiving other CPP benefits.
Combining the survivor's pension with other CPP benefits: If you already receive a Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension or disability pension, the survivor's pension will be combined into a single monthly payment.