In 2025, you can receive up to $1,433 in monthly Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments if you start your pension at age 65. To qualify for CPP payments, you must be at least 60 years old and have made at least one contribution to the Canada Pension Plan during your working life.
The easiest way to maximize your CPP payments is to start your pension at age 70. At this point, you'll receive the highest possible monthly amount, hopefully setting yourself up to earn the most retirement income possible.
Below, you'll find details on what you should do to earn the maximum possible monthly CPP payment, how to calculate your future payments, and more.
Key Takeaways
- As of 2024, Canadians can receive a maximum of $1,364.60 per month in Canada Pension Plan payments.
- The standard age for Canadians to begin collecting CPP payments is 65, but you can begin doing so as early as 60 years of age.
- You will earn the highest monthly payments if you begin collecting your pension at age 70.
What is the maximum CPP in 2024?
For 2025, the maximum CPP amount you can receive per month is $1,433. However, the average amount paid out is $899.67. These numbers are specifically for new recipients at age 65.
Your CPP payments may vary significantly from these numbers, depending on several factors – it may not be possible for you to get the maximum amount at all.
The factors that affect the CPP amounts you receive include:
- The age at which you start receiving your pension
- How much you contributed to CPP during your working years
- How long you contributed to CPP during your working years
- Your average earnings during your working years
- Whether you decide to continue working after you begin receiving CPP benefits
- Any CPP contributions you make while working after the age of 65
- Whether you experience periods of low or no salary
- Whether you took significant time away from work to raise children
- Whether you experienced periods of disability during your working years
- Whether you share your pension with a spouse or partner
- Whether you split your CPP contributions with a former spouse or partner (after a separation or divorce)
Depending on how your personal circumstances fit with these factors, you might receive amounts far lower than the maximum CPP payment amounts.
The average vs. the maximum CPP payment
This table compares the average monthly amount vs. the maximum monthly amount for certain people:
| Benefit type | Average monthly amount (2025) | Maximum monthly amount (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement pension (at age 65) | $899.67 | $1,433 |
| Post-retirement benefit (at age 65) | $9.87 | $47.82 |
| Disability benefit | $1,203.88 | $1,673.24 |
| Post-retirement disability benefit | $598.49 | $598.49 |
The average vs. the maximum CPP survivor's payments
If you pass away, your spouse or common-law partner will receive a recurring payment called the CPP survivor's benefit or survivor's pension. The CPP death benefit is another payment your loved ones could receive when you pass away, but this is a one-time payment.
The precise payment amounts for these benefits depend on several factors, including the recipient's relationship to you, their age, and how much you contributed to the Canada Pension Plan over your lifetime.
Here is a comparison of the maximum CPP amounts your loved ones may receive vs. the average amount:
| Benefits for survivors | Average monthly amount (2025) | Maximum monthly amount (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor's pension (<65) | $535.11 | $770.88 |
| Survivor's pension (65+) | $323.59 | $859.80 |
| Children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors (<18) | $301.77 | $301.77 |
| Children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors (full-time students) | $301.77 | $301.77 |
| Children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors (part-time students) | $150.89 | $150.89 |
| Death benefits (one-time payment) | $2,499.64 | $2,500 |
| Combined survivor’s and retirement pension (age 65) | $1,073.76 | $1,449.53 |
| Combined survivor’s pension and disability benefit | $1,313.37 | $1,683.57 |
How to get the CPP max in 2024
The amount you'll receive for CPP is calculated based on these factors:
- The age you are when you start receiving it
- How much and for how long you contributed to CPP while working
- Your average earnings when working
How much you contributed during working years
To receive the CPP max in 2025, you'll need to be at least 65 years old and have spent some of your life working and contributing to CPP.
In fact, you'll have to work and make contributions for at least 39 to 40 years. Since you're only eligible to contribute between the ages of 18 and 65, this means you'll have to spend at least 85% of those years working and contributing to CPP.
Also, the CPP contributions you make during those 39 years must be the maximum amount possible.
Periods of low or no salary
Many people go through periods of unemployment, or times when they have to work for less pay than usual.
The government takes this into account when calculating what your CPP payment will be each month. Up to eight of your lowest-earning years will be excluded to increase your payment amounts.
If you've experienced more than eight years of low income, you likely won't be able to qualify for maximum CPP payments.
If you spent time raising your kids
The government takes child-rearing provisions into account when calculating your CPP.
Taking time off from full-time employment to care for young children won't necessarily decrease your CPP payout – the government won’t include months when you’re taking care of your kids and not working. Instead, you're given "pension credits" to cover these months.
Therefore, you may still qualify for the maximum CPP amount in your later years.
You'll have to apply for these credits, though.
Any periods of disability
In some circumstances, a person may be unable to work due to a short-term disability, and the government of Canada understands this.
Any months you were unable to work due to a disability will be excluded when calculating your CPP payment amounts, just like for periods of low/no salary. So, you can still qualify for maximum CPP payments.
For people with permanent disabilities, there are specific guidelines for CPP payments, as well as other government programs and benefits for support.
Whether or not you're married or have a common-law partner
Whether or not you have a spouse or partner doesn't immediately affect your CPP amounts, unless one or both of you take advantage of pension sharing – an opportunity that could result in tax savings since it decreases your taxable income.
Your CPP earnings will be affected when and if your spouse or partner passes away. The survivor's pension is a monthly payment that an individual receives if and when their spouse or partner dies, which is added to the amount of their own CPP payments.
Whether you continue to work once receiving CPP
If you continue working while receiving CPP and continue to contribute to CPP during this time, your post-retirement benefits will increase. Each year that you contribute to CPP from age 60 to 65 will add to the amount you receive when you stop working.
Once you reach the age of 65, you can choose to cease your CPP contributions. If you decide to continue working, all CPP contributions stop once you reach age 70.
Making contributions after you turn 65
Here's an important detail to remember: if you continue working after you turn 65 and you have not started to receive CPP, any earnings you make may be used to compensate for periods of low earnings in your earlier years.
How to calculate the maximum CPP payment you'll receive
There is no real formula for calculating an individual’s CPP benefits payment. The influencing factors vary too much from person to person for a one-size-fits-all formula.
You can find an online calculator to help, though, and you can always log into your My Service Canada account and get an estimate there.
However, there is a formula you can use to calculate what the maximum CPP amount could be for a given year. To do this, you'll need to have the information from this table:
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max annual pensionable earnings | $58,700 | $61,600 | $64,900 | $66,600 | $68,500 | $71,300 |
| Exemption amount | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Max contributory earnings | $55,200 | $58,100 | $61,400 | $63,100 | $65,000 | $67,800 |
| Employee and employer contribution rate | 5.25% | 5.45% | 5.7% | 5.95% | 5.95% | 5.95% |
| Max annual employee and employer contribution | $2,898 | $3,166.45 | $3,499.80 | $3,754.45 | $3,867.50 | $4,034.10 |
| Max annual self-employed contribution | $5,796 | $6,332.90 | $6,999.60 | $7,508.90 | $7,735 | $8,068.20 |
Using the information in the table, the formula for determining the maximum CPP payment is: Average Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings (AYMPE) x 33% (until recently, it would have been x 25%, but the new enhanced CPP increased this).
The AYMPE can be calculated by taking the average max annual pensionable earnings over the last five years. So, for determining the AYMPE for 2025, your math should look like this:
($68,500 + $66,600 + $64,900 + $61,600 + $58,700) ÷ 5 = $64,060
Then, to figure out the maximum CPP, you'd do this:
$64,060 x 0.33 = $21,139.80
Again, this may not be the amount that you receive, but it will give you an idea of what the best-case scenario would be.
FAQ
What's the maximum CPP benefit in 2025?
The maximum CPP amount you can receive per month in 2025 is $1,433. Not everyone is eligible for this amount, however. In fact, the average monthly amount is a much lower number: $899.67.
How can I get the max CPP benefit?
Whether you qualify for the maximum CPP amount depends on a few factors, including how much you contributed while you were in the workforce, whether or not you receive/have received disability benefits, your relationship status, and more.
How many years do I need to work to get maximum CPP benefits?
You'll have to work and make full CPP contributions for 39 to 40 years. If you experienced periods of low or no salary, or if you took time off to care for your children, this will be taken into consideration.
At what income does CPP max out?
Those with annual incomes of $71,300 or more have hit the maximum personal earnings for CPP purposes, at least for 2025. Therefore, even if your annual income is higher than this, your contribution amounts won't go up.
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