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Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

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The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension is a monthly, taxable pension based on what you paid into CPP while working. You can start it any time from 60 to 70. In 2026, the maximum at 65 is $1,507.65 a month, and the average for new pensions at 65 is $858.34. You must apply; it does not start on its own.

Check if you qualify

Key facts

Maximum monthly CPP at 65
$1,507.65 (2026)
Average monthly CPP for new pensions at 65
$858.34 (as of July 2026)
Starting before 65
0.6% less for each month, up to 36% less at 60
Starting after 65
0.7% more for each month, up to 42% more at 70
Paper application form
ISP-1000
Processing time
About 28 days online, 120 days on paper

What is the Canada Pension Plan?

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension is a monthly pension you earn by paying into the plan while you work in Canada outside Quebec. It is paid for the rest of your life and is adjusted each year for the cost of living.

Your amount depends on the age you start, how much you paid in and for how many years, and your average earnings over your working life. CPP is taxable income. If you worked only in Quebec, see our Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) guide instead.

Who can get a CPP retirement pension?

You may qualify if you are at least 60 and have made at least one valid contribution to CPP. Contributions can come from your own work in Canada, or from credits you received from a spouse or partner after a divorce or separation.

You can keep working while you get CPP. Your pension is not reduced because you work.

How much is CPP in 2026?

In 2026, the maximum CPP retirement pension for someone starting at 65 is $1,507.65 a month. Most people get less. In July 2026, the average for new pensions starting at 65 was $858.34 a month. A pension near the maximum needs high earnings for most of your working life.

To see an estimate based on your own record, sign in to My Service Canada Account and look at your CPP statement of contributions.

When should I start CPP: at 60, 65 or 70?

You choose when your pension starts, and the choice changes your monthly amount for life. If you start before 65, your pension goes down 0.6% for each month before your 65th birthday, which is 7.2% a year. Starting at 60 means a pension 36% lower.

If you start after 65, your pension goes up 0.7% for each month you wait, which is 8.4% a year. Starting at 70 means a pension 42% higher. There is no gain from waiting past 70.

There is no single right answer. Your health, your other income and whether you need the money now all matter. If you are already past 65 and have not applied, you can ask for back payments for up to 11 months before the month Service Canada receives your application, but not earlier than the month after you turned 65.

How to apply for CPP

CPP does not start on its own. You can apply up to 12 months before the date you want your pension to begin.

  1. Gather your Social Insurance Number and your bank details: the name of your bank, the transit number and the account number.
  2. Online: sign in to My Service Canada Account. In the Canada Pension Plan section, choose Apply for Canada Pension Plan retirement pension.
  3. On paper: fill out form ISP-1000, Application for a Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension. Mail it to the Service Canada office for the last province or territory where you lived. If you live outside Canada, you must apply on paper.
  4. If you lived or worked in another country, or stayed home to raise young children, include that information. The child rearing provision may raise your pension.
  5. Wait for your decision. Online applications are usually processed within 28 days and paper applications within 120 days.

Working after you start CPP: the post-retirement benefit

If you work while getting CPP and you are under 70, you keep paying into CPP. Between 65 and 70 you can choose to stop. Each year you contribute earns a post-retirement benefit, which is added to your pension the following year and paid for life. In 2026, the maximum post-retirement benefit for a person aged 65 is $54.69 a month. Contributions stop at 70.

CPP pension sharing and credit splitting

If you live with your spouse or common-law partner and at least one of you gets, or has applied for, a CPP retirement pension, you can share your pensions. The total the two of you receive stays the same, but sharing may lower your taxes. Apply in My Service Canada Account or with form ISP1002. Sharing ends if you divorce, if one of you dies, or if you both ask to cancel it.

After a divorce or separation, the CPP credits you both earned while living together can be divided equally. This is called credit splitting. It is not automatic; either person must apply, using form ISP1901. Separated spouses and common-law partners must have lived apart for at least 12 months. Common-law partners must apply within 48 months of separating unless the other person agrees to waive that limit. Credit splitting is permanent.

In Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Alberta, a written spousal agreement may prevent credit splitting.

CPP survivor's pension and death benefit

When a CPP contributor dies, their legal spouse or common-law partner may get a survivor's pension. In 2026 the maximum is $803.54 a month for survivors under 65 and $904.59 a month for survivors 65 and older. If you also get your own CPP retirement pension, the combined maximum at 65 is $1,531.56 a month in 2026. Apply online or with form ISP1300. Back payments are limited to 12 months, so apply soon after the death.

The CPP death benefit is a one-time payment of $2,500. For deaths on or after January 1, 2025, a top-up of $2,500 may be added, for a maximum of $5,000, if the person never received a CPP or QPP retirement or disability pension and has no spouse or partner eligible for a survivor's pension. The executor of the estate should apply within 60 days of the death using form ISP1200. If there is no executor, the person who paid for the funeral, the surviving spouse or partner, or next of kin can apply. Processing takes about 6 to 12 weeks.

What if my CPP application is refused?

If you disagree with a decision, ask for a reconsideration within 90 days of getting your decision letter. Use Request a review of a decision in My Service Canada Account, or form ISP-1238. If you disagree with the new decision, you have 90 days to appeal to the Social Security Tribunal.

CPP money people miss

Waiting past 70 gains nothing, and back pay is limited. Plan to apply so your pension starts by age 70.

Parents who stayed home with young children should make sure the child rearing provision is applied.

After a spouse dies, many people do not know to apply for the survivor's pension and death benefit. After a separation, many do not apply to split credits. Couples often overlook pension sharing, which may lower their taxes.

If you worked in another country, ask about it. A social security agreement between Canada and that country may help you get a pension from that country too.

Who to contact

Common questions

What is the maximum CPP payment in 2026?

$1,507.65 a month if you start at 65 in 2026. The average for new pensions at 65 was $858.34 in July 2026.

How much less is CPP if I take it at 60?

0.6% less for each month before 65. At 60, your pension is 36% lower for life.

How much more is CPP if I wait until 70?

0.7% more for each month after 65. At 70, your pension is 42% higher for life.

Does CPP start automatically?

No. You must apply for the CPP retirement pension. You can apply up to 12 months before you want it to start.

How long does it take to get CPP after applying?

Online applications are usually processed within 28 days. Paper applications take up to 120 days.

Can I work and collect CPP at the same time?

Yes. Your pension is not reduced. If you are under 70 and keep paying into CPP, you earn a post-retirement benefit.

Is CPP taxable?

Yes. CPP is taxable income. Pension sharing with your spouse may lower your taxes as a couple.

How much is the CPP death benefit?

$2,500. A top-up of $2,500 may apply for deaths on or after January 1, 2025, for a maximum of $5,000.

Sources

  1. CPP retirement pension: How much you could receive (Government of Canada)
  2. Canada Pension Plan: Pensions and benefits monthly amounts (Government of Canada)
  3. CPP retirement pension: Do you qualify (Government of Canada)
  4. CPP retirement pension: When to start (Government of Canada)
  5. CPP retirement pension: Apply (Government of Canada)
  6. CPP Post-Retirement Benefit: How much you could receive (Government of Canada)
  7. CPP pension sharing (Government of Canada)
  8. Divorced or separated: Splitting CPP credits (Government of Canada)
  9. CPP survivor's pension (Government of Canada)
  10. CPP death benefit (Government of Canada)
  11. CPP benefits: Request a reconsideration (Government of Canada)
  12. Contact Canada Pension Plan (Government of Canada)

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