What Are CPP Survivor Benefits?
CPP Survivor Benefits are monthly pension payments made to those who were legally married or were the common-law partner of a contributor who is now deceased.
Who is Eligible for CPP Survivor Benefits?
To be eligible for CPP Survivor Benefits, you must be married to or the common-law partner of a CPP contributor that has passed away.
Your survivor’s pension benefit may vary based on your personal circumstances.
Below, we’ll walk you through some unique circumstances and how it will affect your survivor’s pension.
If you were in a common-law relationship
A common-law partner, for CPP purposes, is considered someone you have lived with for a minimum of one year in a romantic relationship.
To show that you are or were in a common-law relationship, you’ll need to complete one of these 2 forms:
- Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (Dual Signatures)
- Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (Single Signature)
Remarrying prior to 1987
Before 1987, if you had remarried, you would have lost your CPP Survivor’s Benefits.
The rules have changed, so your best bet in finding out if you’re eligible for survivor’s pension is by contacting CPP directly.
Being a widower twice (or more)
If you have been a widower twice (or more), you’ll only receive one CPP Survivor Benefit.
You’ll get the largest of all the pension amounts.
Remarrying after your partner’s passing
Regardless of whether you remarry, you will continue to receive the CPP Survivor’s Pension.
On top of getting CPP Survivor Benefits, you could also be eligible to receive the CPP death benefit or CPP benefits for children under 25.
How Much is CPP Survivor’s Pension?
The amount of your CPP Survivor’s Pension will vary based on a couple of different factors, including:
- How old you are – if you, the survivor, are over or under 65 years old
- Your deceased partner’s contribution amount, and the length of their contribution
To get an idea of how much your monthly CPP Survivor’s Pension could be, check out the table below.
| Amount You Could Receive Overall (If You Aren’t Getting Other CPP Payments) | Average Amount Paid In 2023 For New Recipients | Maximum Amount For 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor’s benefits (under 65 years old) | 60% of the contributor’s pension | $498.66 | $739.31 |
| Survivor’s benefits (over 65 years old) | A flat rate amount in addition to 37.5% of the contributor’s pension | $315.77 | $818.76 |
Source: Canada.ca
How Often Will I Receive My Survivor’s Pension?
The CPP Survivor’s Pension is paid out monthly.
If you’re already getting CPP payments or disability CPP payments, your survivor’s pension will be lumped in with those payments.
Here are the 2024 payment dates:
- January 29, 2024
- February 27, 2024
- March 26, 2024
- April 26, 2024
- May 29, 2024
- June 26, 2024
- July 29, 2024
- August 28, 2024
- September 25, 2024
- October 29, 2024
- November 27, 2024
- December 20, 2024
How Do I Apply for CPP Survivor Benefits?
You must apply for CPP Survivor Benefits to be eligible to receive the monthly payments, and you should do it as soon as possible after the contributor’s death since payments can only be backdated up to 12 months (if you’re over the age of 65).
You can either do this through a paper application or by applying online.
By Paper
To apply by paper, you should first fill out the Application for CPP Survivor’s pension and Child(ren’s) Benefits.
Make sure to include the deceased contributor’s SIN and your SIN on each of the documents you fill out and submit the certified true copies of all the needed documents.
Mail your application and all the required documents to your nearest Service Canada.
Alternatively, you can drop it off at one of the Service Canada offices.
Online
To apply for survivor’s pension online, go into your My Service Canada Account (MSCA) and fill out the CPP Survivor Benefits form.
Mail all the required certified true copies to your nearest Service Canada.
Alternatively, you can drop it off at one of the Service Canada offices.
Make sure to include the deceased contributor’s SIN and your SIN on each of the documents.
Your first payment should start 6 to 12 weeks after Service Canada receives your application and all the required documentation.
If you don’t hear back after 12 weeks, contact CPP directly.
