See exactly how your Canada Pension Plan benefit changes based on when you start collecting. Adjust the sliders to match your situation — your results update instantly.
General estimates only — not personalized financial advice. Actual CPP depends on your individual contribution history. Verify your personal estimate at My Service Canada Account.
Enter three values: your current age, your estimated CPP benefit at age 65 (find this in your My Service Canada Account), and your expected life expectancy. The calculator shows your monthly benefit and total lifetime income for every start age from 60 to 70, and identifies which age maximizes your lifetime income based on your inputs.
The Canadian average life expectancy is approximately 84 years — but your family history and health are better guides. Run the calculator at a few different life expectancy assumptions to see how sensitive your decision is to longevity.
You can start CPP as early as age 60 or as late as age 70. Starting before age 65 reduces your benefit by 0.6% for every month before your 65th birthday — a maximum permanent reduction of 36% if you start at exactly 60. Starting after 65 increases your benefit by 0.7% per month, for a maximum permanent increase of 42% at age 70.
Both adjustments are permanent and apply for the rest of your life. CPP is also fully indexed to inflation — meaning a larger benefit compounds in value over time in a way a smaller one does not.
This calculator estimates lifetime income based on a fixed life expectancy. It does not account for inflation indexing over time, the impact of CPP timing on your OAS clawback exposure, survivor benefit implications for your spouse, or how CPP coordinates with your RRSP, RRIF, and other income sources. For a complete retirement income analysis, those factors matter significantly.