Can I get CPP money for a family member who died?
When a person who contributed to the dies, there are CPP benefits that family members may be able to get. These benefits are meant to partially replace the income of the person who has died. For example:
- their spouse or may be able to get a survivor’s pension
- their dependent children may be able to get benefits for surviving children
There’s also a death benefit that’s paid to the estate of the CPP contributor who died. This is usually paid to the estate trustee or whoever is paying for the funeral expenses.
Benefit amounts
The death benefit is paid out in one payment.
For the other benefits, how much you can get depends on:
- the contributions made by your family member while they were working, and
- how old you are when you apply.
Make sure to apply
You have to apply for any of the benefits that CPP provides when a contributor dies.
It’s important to apply right away so you don’t lose any benefits you might be eligible for. The Next Steps describe how to do this.
