QPP Survivor Pension Calculator
When someone who contributed to the Québec Pension Plan dies, their spouse may receive a surviving spouse's pension for life. This page checks the two published eligibility tests and shows how household pension income may change after the death. It can't calculate the exact amount — Retraite Québec bases it on the deceased's full earnings record and limits the total when you also get your own pension.
Before you start
Method : Published eligibility tests; Retraite Québec maximums as upper limits; simple before/after monthly income.
Checked : Rules and 2026 amounts checked against Retraite Québec on 2026-10-05; tests use hand-worked cases.
Review : not reviewed by Retraite Québec or a licensed adviser. Educational only — not a decision on your file or financial advice.
Exception: the optional AI checklist below sends your answers and figures (no names) only if you tick the consent box and press its button.
Your entries stay in this browser tab; nothing is sent or stored.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the deceased's birth year, the year contributions ended and how many years they contributed.
- Describe your relationship, your age and situation.
- Enter monthly pensions (yours, theirs, other income) and, if you have it, the survivor amount from Retraite Québec.
- Press Check.
Methodology & assumptions
Eligibility = spouse test AND sufficient contributions (rules above, from Retraite Québec; checked 2026-10-05). Contributory period = years from the year they turned 18 to the year contributions ended (capped at age 72), inclusive.
Amount: the survivor amount you enter from Retraite Québec, or else the 2026 maximum for your category — an upper limit, not an estimate. Maximums (deceased not receiving a retirement pension): under 45 no children $719.50; under 45 with children $1,129.95; under 45 disabled or 45–64 $1,173.58; 65+ $881.48.
Income impact = (your pension + survivor pension + other income) − (your pension + deceased's pension + other income). The combined-pension cap is not applied, so real amounts can be lower.
Worked examples
Contributions: born 1970, died 2026 → period 1988–2026 = 39 years. 12 years contributed → sufficient (≥ 10). 9 years → not sufficient (fewer than 10, and less than one-third = 13).
Income at 67: your pension $900, deceased's $1,200, Retraite Québec notice says $500 survivor pension. Before: $2,100 a month. After: $1,400 — down $700 (−33.3%).
No notice yet, age 50: your pension $0, deceased's $0 (not yet retired), other income $3,000. The survivor pension is at most $1,173.58, so income could rise to at most $4,173.58.
Understanding your result
"Likely eligible" means the published tests appear to be met based on your answers; only Retraite Québec decides. Apply soon — retroactive payments are limited to 11 months. Use the income change to plan your budget, not as a promise.
Sources & further reading
- Retraite Québec. The surviving spouse's pension (eligibility, spouse rules, factors affecting the amount).
- Retraite Québec. What do retirement plans provide when a contributor dies? (sufficient-contribution test, death benefit).
- Retraite Québec. Québec Pension Plan figures (2026 maximum monthly amounts).
- Retraite Québec. Why will the amount of my surviving spouse's pension change? (combined-pension maximum).
Frequently Asked Questions
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