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By Jason Heath, CFP on September 24, 2025
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

By Jason Heath, CFP on September 24, 2025
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

A MoneySense reader is not familiar with the Canada Pension Plan death benefit. Here is a primer

Your recent article is the first time I have seen reference to a CPP death benefit of $2,500. Can you explain it, please?

—Sam

The primary purpose of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is to pay a retirement pension to contributors. Employers as well as employed and self-employed Canadians contribute to the CPP and contributors are entitled to begin a CPP retirement pension as early as age 60.

There are several other programs that CPP contributors and family members are eligible for—including the CPP death benefit, Sam.

A Quebec resident may be entitled to Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) benefits. The CPP and QPP plans have coordination agreements since some Canadians contribute to both plans during their career.

Some of the other CPP/QPP benefits include:

The CPP/QPP death benefit is payable to the........

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