The CPP survivor's pension: how much a surviving spouse gets
2026 maximum: $904.59/month at 65 and over, $803.54/month under 65. Average new survivor at 65+: $336.91 (July 2026).
When a CPP contributor dies, their spouse or common-law partner can receive a monthly survivor's pension for life. The amount depends on the deceased's contributions, your age, and, above all, on whether you already receive your own CPP, which caps the combined total. Here is how it works, with this year's figures read daily from Service Canada.
Survivor's pension amounts for 2026
Maximums are for new benefits starting in January 2026; the averages are what Service Canada actually paid to new beneficiaries in July 2026. CPP amounts rise each January with inflation.
| Benefit | Maximum per month | Average, new beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor's pension, age 65 and older (60% of the deceased's pension) | $904.59 | $336.91 |
| Survivor's pension, under 65 (flat rate + 37.5%) | $803.54 | $555.70 |
| Combined survivor's and retirement pension, at 65 | $1,531.56 | $1,086.16 |
| Combined survivor's pension and disability benefit | $1,756.14 | $1,372.71 |
| Children's benefit, per child (under 18, or 18 to 25 full-time student) | $307.81 | $307.81 |
| Children's benefit, part-time student 18 to 25 | $153.91 | $153.91 |
| Death benefit (one-time, to the estate) | $2,500.00 + $2,500 top-up in some cases | $2,620.72 |
Source: Service Canada, Canada Pension Plan pensions and benefits monthly amounts, verified October 22, 2026. Maximums reflect the CPP enhancement and increase slightly every month for new beneficiaries. For comparison, the maximum retirement pension at 65 is $1,507.65 and the maximum disability benefit $1,741.20.
How the survivor's pension is calculated
Service Canada starts with the pension the deceased was receiving, or would have received at 65, calculated from their contribution record. It then applies a formula based on your age when they died:
- 65 or older: 60% of that retirement pension (if you receive no other CPP benefit).
- Under 65: a flat-rate portion ($238.17 a month in 2026) plus 37.5% of that retirement pension.
The under-65 formula has a lower percentage but a flat-rate component, which is why its maximum ($803.54) is close to the 65-plus maximum ($904.59) even though the percentage is smaller. When you turn 65 the pension is recalculated to the 60% formula.
The combined-benefit cap
This is the part that surprises most widows and widowers. If you already receive your own CPP retirement pension, the survivor's pension is combined into a single payment and capped: the total cannot exceed the maximum retirement pension ($1,507.65 in 2026). If you receive a CPP disability benefit, the cap is the maximum disability benefit ($1,741.20). Only one flat-rate component (the largest) is paid when benefits are combined.
So a survivor who already earns a full retirement pension of their own may receive little or no extra from the survivor's pension. That is why the average new survivor's pension at 65 and over was only $336.91 in July 2026, against a $904.59 maximum. The enhanced portion of CPP (contributions since 2019) is added on top and is not subject to the cap.
Planning point for couples: because the survivor's pension cannot lift the survivor above one maximum pension, a couple where both earn high CPP will lose most of one CPP at the first death. A higher-earning spouse deferring CPP to 70 does not raise the survivor's pension either (it is based on the age-65 amount). Model the household, not just the individual, in the CPP calculator and our when to take CPP guide.
Who qualifies
- The legal spouse of the deceased contributor, or their common-law partner (lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least one year).
- A separated legal spouse qualifies if the deceased had no common-law partner at death, unless a CPP credit split for that contributor was received and approved in January 2025 or later (reuniting and living together for the 12 months before the death restores eligibility).
- The deceased must have made enough CPP contributions: at least one-third of the calendar years in their contributory period (minimum three years), or 10 calendar years.
- The pension continues if you remarry. If you are widowed more than once, only the larger pension is paid.
The children's benefit
Each dependent child of the deceased receives a flat-rate monthly benefit of $307.81 in 2026 while under 18, and from 18 to 25 while in full-time attendance at a recognized school or university ($153.91 for part-time study). It is paid to the child, or to the parent or guardian for a child under 18, and is taxable in the child's hands. Apply on the same form as the survivor's pension (ISP1300) and include every child; a child may receive up to two children's benefits.
How to apply
- Apply as soon as possible after the death. Back payments are limited to 11 months plus the month you apply, so a delay past a year loses money permanently.
- Online: sign in to My Service Canada Account and complete the survivor's pension form. By mail: form ISP1300, with copies of supporting documents, quoting both SINs.
- The pension starts the month after the death at the earliest, and the first payment usually arrives 6 to 12 weeks after Service Canada receives a complete application.
- Apply for the death benefit at the same time (the executor does this), and check the Allowance for the Survivor if you are 60 to 64 with low income.
- If the deceased lived or worked in Quebec, the Quebec Pension Plan may pay instead; contact Retraite Québec.
Our guide to settling an estate and what happens to RRSPs, RRIFs and TFSAs at death cover the rest of the financial to-do list.
Payment dates
The survivor's pension and children's benefit are paid on the CPP payment dates. The next payment is Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Every date is on the CPP payment dates page.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the CPP survivor's pension?
In 2026 the maximum is $904.59 a month if you are 65 or older and $803.54 if you are under 65. The average paid to new survivors in July 2026 was $336.91 (65+) and $555.70 (under 65). The amount depends on how much the deceased contributed and on whether you already receive your own CPP.
Why is the average survivor pension at 65 so much lower than the maximum?
Because most people over 65 already receive their own CPP retirement pension, and the two are combined under a cap: the total cannot exceed the maximum retirement pension ($1,507.65 in 2026). Someone already near the maximum on their own gets little or nothing extra. Only the enhanced (post-2019) portion of CPP sits outside the cap.
Who qualifies?
The legal spouse or common-law partner (someone who lived with the contributor in a conjugal relationship for at least one year) of a person who made enough CPP contributions. A separated legal spouse qualifies if the deceased had no common-law partner, except where a CPP credit split for that contributor was approved in January 2025 or later. The pension continues if you remarry. If you are widowed more than once, you receive only the larger of the two pensions.
Is the survivor's pension taxable?
Yes. It is taxable income, reported on a T4A(P) slip, and it counts as income for the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance for the Survivor. It is not subject to the OAS clawback on its own but adds to the net income the clawback is tested on.
When does it start and how long does it take?
The pension starts, at the earliest, the month after the contributor's death. Service Canada says the first payment usually arrives 6 to 12 weeks after it receives a complete application. Apply as soon as possible: back payments are limited to 11 months plus the month you apply.
Do the children get anything?
Yes. Each dependent child of the deceased receives a flat-rate children's benefit of $307.81 a month in 2026 if under 18, or 18 to 25 and a full-time student; part-time students receive $153.91. The benefit is paid to the child or the person caring for them, and a child can receive up to two children's benefits if both parents have died or are disabled.
What about the one-time death benefit?
The CPP death benefit is a separate one-time payment of $2,500 to the estate, with a further $2,500 top-up for deaths on or after January 1, 2025 when the contributor never received a CPP or QPP pension and left no survivor eligible for this pension. The average death benefit paid in July 2026 was $2,620.72. It has its own page.
What if my spouse was under 65 or had not started CPP?
It does not matter. Service Canada first calculates what the deceased's retirement pension would have been at age 65, from their contribution record, and then applies the survivor percentage (60% or 37.5% plus the flat rate) to that figure. A contributor who died at 50 produces a survivor's pension just as one who died at 80 does.
Amounts are read from Service Canada's published table and refreshed daily; the flat-rate figure is from Service Canada's 2026 rate card. Rules are summarized from Service Canada's survivor's pension pages. General information only; your entitlement depends on the deceased's contribution record and your own benefits.
Live from the source, refreshed daily
Read every morning from Service Canada, Statistics Canada, the Bank of Canada and the CRA, and again at 11 a.m. ET on weekdays. Published figures only, no estimates.
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