Updated on January 20, 2024
Discovering Survivor Benefits in Canada: A Comprehensive Exploration of CPP and OAS Survivor Benefits. The Canadian Government extends various benefits to survivors through federal assistance programs such as Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP). These monthly financial assistance programs are designed for legal spouses or common-law partners of deceased contributors, subject to eligibility criteria. Continue reading this article to delve into more details about Survivor Benefits in Canada under programs like CPP and OAS.
Survivor Benefits in Canada
The Canadian Government extends various survivor benefits to its citizens, encompassing federal programs that deliver financial assistance. These benefits include death benefits, disability benefits, survivor allowances, and more. The monthly allowances are typically equivalent to half of the pension benefits for individuals aged 65 and above.
These federal benefits are designated for individuals who were the legal spouses of the contributor before their retirement. Survivor Benefits in Canada are extended to spouses or common-law partners of the individual contributor, provided that their relationship existed before the contributor’s retirement. These program benefits fall under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) programs, each having distinct benefit rates.
What Are Survivor Benefits Under CPP and OAS in Canada?
Survivor benefits under the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security program in Canada encompass a broad spectrum of support for survivors. These federal benefits provide financial assistance determined by the contributor’s contributions and various other factors. The benefits under the Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) include:
Survivor’s Pension: This program offers monthly assistance benefits to surviving spouses or common-law partners of the contributor. The pension income is contingent on the recipient’s age and other criteria. For survivors under the age of 65, a flat rate of 37.5% of the contributor’s retirement pension is provided. Survivors aged 65 or above receive 60% of the contributor’s pension.
Death Benefits: The death benefit is a one-time payment provided to the estate of the CPP contributor. The executor named in the will or the court-appointed administrator, who applies for the death benefit within sixty days of the contributor’s death, is eligible for this benefit. The amount is determined based on factors such as the recipient’s age, whether they receive multiple benefits, and the duration of the contributor’s contributions.
Children’s Benefit: This monthly financial assistance benefit is intended for the dependent children of the contributor. The benefit is extended to children up to the age of 18, and under certain conditions, it may also be granted to children aged 18 to 25. In such cases, the benefits are reduced for the contributor for three years. Typically, this benefit is awarded to spouses if the children reside with them.
These are the Survivor Benefits in Canada encompassed within the CPP and OAS benefits. Both of these programs provide retirement pension benefits for beneficiaries aged 60 and 65+, with the CPP also offering disabled benefits to eligible contributors.
How to Get Survivor Benefits?
To qualify for Survivor Benefits in Canada, individuals must contribute towards the CPP. To access death benefits, applicants should fill out Form ISR1200. For spouses’ and children’s benefits, Form ISP1300 is required. Along with completing these forms, providing a certified copy of the contributor’s death and other necessary documentation is essential. After filling out the forms and attaching the documents, the application should be mailed to the Service Canada office.
To be eligible for these benefits, the applicant must be the deceased contributor’s spouse or common-law partner, not married to another person after the contributor’s death, aged 60 to 64, and possess Canadian citizenship while being a legal resident.