Applying for your retirement pension
When should I apply?
Although you are not required to do so, we recommend that you apply at least six months before you want your pension to begin.
Are there limits on back payments of CPP benefits?
Yes, there are legislative restrictions on retroactive payments. In general, Service Canada can only pay retroactive payments of CPP benefits for up to 12 months (11 months plus the month you apply). For this reason, if you delay applying for your CPP retirement pension after you turn 70, you risk losing benefits. For more information, contact us.
How do I apply?
To apply for your CPP retirement pension, you have to complete an application form.
You can complete the form on the Internet (see "Using Service Canada's online services" for details). At the end of the application process, you will be asked to print and sign a signature page and mail it to Service Canada.
If you prefer to complete the application form on paper, you can print the form from the Internet, complete it by hand, and return it to us by mail. You can also contact us and ask us to mail an application kit to you.
Should I ask to have the child-rearing provision applied to my pension calculation?
If your earnings either stopped or were lower because you were raising your children under the age of seven, you can ask us on the application form to exclude that period of time from the calculation of your retirement pension. This is called the child-rearing provision. If we approve your request, we will not count these child-rearing years when we calculate the amount of your benefit, which will likely increase your benefit amount. Please contact us to find out more.
If I have contributed to both the CPP and QPP, where do I apply for my retirement pension?
Which plan you pay into–CPP or QPP–depends on where you work, not where you live. If you work in Quebec, you pay into the QPP. If you work in any other province or territory, you pay into the CPP. Depending on where you work over the years, you may pay into both plans.
The two plans provide similar benefits. If you pay into only one of the plans, you apply to that plan for your pension or benefits.
If you have contributed to both the CPP and QPP, you apply to the QPP if you live in Quebec when applying for a benefit, and to the CPP if you live elsewhere in Canada when you apply.
If you live outside Canada, you apply to the QPP if you were living in Quebec before you left the country. If you lived in any other province or territory before you left the country, you apply to the CPP.
Regardless of which plan pays your benefit, the amount is calculated according to your contributions to both plans and the legislation of the responsible plan.
What if I am incapable of applying?
If, because of an illness or infirmity, you are incapable of applying for a CPP pension or benefit, your designated representative can apply on your behalf.
What happens if I die before I have the chance to apply for my retirement pension?
If you die before applying for your CPP pension, we cannot pay your retirement pension benefits to anyone else unless you were over 70 when you died and your estate submits a CPP retirement pension application no later than one year after your death. In this case, we can pay up to 12 months of retirement benefits to your estate.
Your estate may also be eligible for the CPP death benefit if minimum contribution requirements are met. In addition, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible to receive the CPP survivor's pension, and your dependent children may be eligible to receive the CPP children's benefit.
For more information about the death benefit, the survivor's pension, and the children's benefit, visit the Service Canada Web site or contact us.
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