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For additional information about the
CPP Death Benefit click here.

For additional information about the
CPP Survivor's Pension
click here.

For additional information about the
CPP Children's Benefit click here.
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CPP - Survivor Benefits
Home > CPP > CPP Survivor Benefits
The Canada Pension Plan survivor benefits are payments that may be
made to a deceased’s estate, a surviving spouse and to the deceased's
dependent children. Each of these three benefits is described below.

For of these three benefits to be paid, the deceased must have made
contributions to the Canada Pension Plan for a minimum of three
years.


The CPP Death Benefit

The CPP death benefit is a one-time payment made to the
estate of the deceased contributor.

If the deceased did not leave an estate, then the person
responsible for the funeral expenses, the surviving spouse or
partner or the next of kin may be eligible, in that order,to apply
for the benefit.

The amount of the CPP death benefit depends on how much
and for how long the deceased paid into the CPP. However,
the maximum allowable death benefit is $2,500.

The CPP Death Benefit is usually paid within 6 to 12 weeks of
application.

The Survivor’s Pension

The Survivor’s Pension is a monthly pension paid to the
surviving spouse of the deceased contributor.

If the deceased contributor was not married but was living in a
common law relationship, a Survivor’s Pension will be paid to
the common-law spouse if they had been living together for at
least one year at the time of death.

If the deceased contributor was not married but was living in a
same-sex relationship, a Survivor’s Pension will be paid to the
same-sex partner if they had been living together for at least
one year at the time of death.

The amount of the Survivor’s Pension will vary depending on
a number of factors including:

whether the spouse or common-law partner is also receiving a  
disability or retirement pension (see below Combining Canada
Pension Plan Pensions);
how much, and for how long, the contributor has paid into the
plan; and
the spouse or common-law partner's age when the contributor dies.

If applied for immediately following the death, the Survivor’s
Pension will begin the month after the deceased contributor’s
death, although the first payment may not arrive for 6 to 12
weeks.

Remarriage does not put an end to the Survivor’s Pension.

If the surviving spouse or partner is receiving either a CPP
disability or CPP retirement pension at the time of the deceased
contributor’s death, the Survivor’s Pension will be combined
with this other benefit into a single payment. However, there is
a limit on the total amount of CPP that a survivor can get.


The CPP Children’s Benefit

The CPP Children’s Benefit is a monthly pension for the
dependent children of a deceased contributor.

Children under the age of 18 are considered dependent
children. The surviving parent or guardian must apply for the
benefit on behalf of the child and the payment will be made to
the parent or guardian.

Children between the ages of 18 and 25, who are in school
full-time, are also considered dependent children. A child in
this age bracket must apply on his or her own behalf for this
benefit. The payment will be made directly to the child.

If applied for immediately following the death, the Children’s
Benefit will begin the month after the deceased contributor’s
death, although the first payment may not arrive for 6 to 12
weeks.

In 2008 the CPP Children’s Benefit was a flat monthly rate of
$208.77.
Download a PDF version of the
Application for a CPP Survivor's
Pension and Children's Benefits.
TIP
Many funeral homes
have the application for
CPP Survivor Pension
and
Children's Benefits.
Application Form
Contact CPP
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