Results
Worked out as you move the sliders and not saved. Monthly amounts, 2026 dollars, before tax.
If Partner A dies at 80 Partner B is 77
Combining with own CPP. The survivor's pension on its own would be $660.00. Because Partner B also gets a CPP retirement pension, the two are combined under Section 58 of the CPP Act and the survivor's part is reduced by $264.00 to $396.00.
Both alive
| Partner A age 80 | |
|---|---|
| Own CPP retirement | $1,100.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $1,666.67 |
| Partner B age 77 | |
| Own CPP retirement | $700.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $416.67 |
| Household total / month | $5,560.83 |
| of which government benefits | $3,477.50 |
After the death
| Partner B age 77 | |
|---|---|
| Own CPP retirement | $700.00 |
| CPP survivor's pension | $396.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $1,250.00 |
| Household total / month | $3,184.75 |
| of which government benefits | $1,934.75 |
One-time CPP death benefit to the estate: $2,500.00 (if the deceased contributed long enough).
If Partner B dies at 80 Partner A is 83
Combining with own CPP. The survivor's pension on its own would be $420.00. Because Partner A also gets a CPP retirement pension, the two are combined under Section 58 of the CPP Act and the survivor's part is reduced by $168.00 to $252.00.
Both alive
| Partner B age 80 | |
|---|---|
| Own CPP retirement | $700.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $416.67 |
| Partner A age 83 | |
| Own CPP retirement | $1,100.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $1,666.67 |
| Household total / month | $5,560.83 |
| of which government benefits | $3,477.50 |
After the death
| Partner A age 83 | |
|---|---|
| Own CPP retirement | $1,100.00 |
| CPP survivor's pension | $252.00 |
| OAS pension | $838.75 |
| Other income (pensions, RRIF, investments) | $1,875.00 |
| Household total / month | $4,065.75 |
| of which government benefits | $2,190.75 |
One-time CPP death benefit to the estate: $2,500.00 (if the deceased contributed long enough).
What if the death happened at a different age? (no dependent children)
Partner A dies Partner B survives
| Partner A dies at | Partner B is | Both alive /mo | CPP survivor part /mo | Survivor total /mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 64 | $4,136.17 | $650.67 | $2,248.34 | -46% |
| 72 | 69 | $5,408.33 | $396.00 | $3,108.50 | -43% |
| 77 | 74 | $5,484.58 | $396.00 | $3,108.50 | -43% |
| 82 | 79 | $5,560.83 | $396.00 | $3,184.75 | -43% |
| 87 | 84 | $5,560.83 | $396.00 | $3,184.75 | -43% |
| 92 | 89 | $5,560.83 | $396.00 | $3,184.75 | -43% |
Partner B dies Partner A survives
| Partner B dies at | Partner A is | Both alive /mo | CPP survivor part /mo | Survivor total /mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 67 | $4,136.17 | $252.00 | $3,989.50 | -4% |
| 69 | 72 | $5,408.33 | $252.00 | $3,989.50 | -26% |
| 74 | 77 | $5,484.58 | $252.00 | $4,065.75 | -26% |
| 79 | 82 | $5,560.83 | $252.00 | $4,065.75 | -27% |
| 84 | 87 | $5,560.83 | $252.00 | $4,065.75 | -27% |
| 89 | 92 | $5,560.83 | $252.00 | $4,065.75 | -27% |
| 94 | 97 | $5,560.83 | $252.00 | $4,065.75 | -27% |
How this is worked out
Survivor's pension on its own: 60% of the deceased's age-65 CPP amount for a survivor 65 or older. Under 65 it is a flat $238.17 plus 37.5% (not payable under 35 without dependent children; the flat part is phased in between 35 and 45).
Combined with the survivor's own CPP (Section 58 of the CPP Act): the survivor's part becomes the lesser of two results. Option A is the room left under the combined maximum ($1,531.56) after the survivor's own age-65 amount. Option B is the survivor's pension less 40% of the smaller of itself and the survivor's own age-65 amount. The combining is done before the early or late start adjustment, so a survivor who delays their own CPP keeps the delay bonus. This calculator uses the commonly published form of the rule; Service Canada's figure is the official one.
GIS and the survivor's pension: GIS is not reduced by CPP or OAS being paid; it is the reverse. Every dollar of CPP (including the survivor's pension) counts as income when GIS is worked out, so for lower-income survivors GIS falls by about 50 cents for each extra dollar of CPP. OAS itself is not counted. GIS and the Allowance for the Survivor (ages 60 to 64) are straight-line estimates from the published cut-offs and use last year's income in real life.
Not modelled: CPP disability, divorce or credit splitting, pension sharing, foreign pension agreements, tax, inflation and QPP. If the deceased died young, their age-65 estimate will overstate the survivor's pension.
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