How Much Is The Canada Pension Plan Lump Sum Death Benefit?

At George Darte Funeral Home, we have seen that some clients have questions about what the CPP is and how much the lump sum benefit is. Here is some helpful information.

What Is The CPP?

The CPP (Canada Pension Plan) death benefit is a lump-sum payment made on behalf of a qualified, deceased CPP contributor. The CPP pension is paid to the survivor who, at the point of death, is the common-law partner/legal spouse of the deceased contributor.

If you are a legal, separated spouse and the decedent didn’t have a common-law partner, you might qualify for this particular benefit. If you have been widowed more than once then you will get only one survivor's pension (the larger pension).

CPP will calculate the CPP retirement pension amount, or what it would have been if the person had been 65 years old when he or she died. A further calculation will be done, taking into account the age of the survivor at the time of the contributor's death.

Other Details About The CPP Benefit

If there is some estate, the legal executor or court-appointed administrator will have to handle the nitty-gritty of the CPP process. The executor needs to apply for this benefit within 60 days of the person’s death.

If there is no estate, or if the legal executor named in the decedent’s will doesn’t apply for the CPP benefits, the payment will be made to other individuals that apply for it, in the order or priority which is:

• The institution/individual who paid for, or is responsible for managing all the funeral expenses
• The deceased’s surviving common-law partner/spouse
• The deceased’s next-of-kin

For details about our funeral services and preplanning services, please call George Darte Funeral Home at (905) 937-4444 or use our contact form. One of our team members will call you shortly to answer your queries.