Who is eligible for Canada Pension Plan Death Benefits?
Answer. The CPP death benefit is a one time, lump-sum payment made to the deceased contributor’s estate. If there is no estate, the person responsible for the funeral expenses, the surviving spouse or common-law partner or the next of kin may be eligible, in that order. The CPP survivor’s pension is paid to the person who, at the time of death, is the legal spouse or common-law partner of the deceased contributor (in the case of same-sex partners, the date of death of the contributor must be January 1, 1998, or later). Separated legal spouses may be eligible if the deceased had no cohabitating common-law partner for at least the past year. The CPP children’s benefit is paid to natural or adopted children of the deceased contributor or children in the care and control of the deceased contributor at the time of death. The child must be either under 18 or between the ages of 18 and 25 and in full-time attendance at a recognized educational institution.
