Canada — Help & Advice

Government benefits & financial support (Canada)

After a death in Canada, meaningful financial help may be available — especially through CPP (or QPP in Québec), low-income support under the OAS/GIS system, family benefit changes, and tax credits. This page focuses on what the government can pay, how to qualify quickly, and where to start on official sites.

Key idea (this prevents missed money)

The biggest government payments are usually in CPP/QPP (not provincial).
If you’re a surviving spouse aged 60–64 with low income, the Allowance for the Survivor (OAS/GIS) is a major benefit people miss.
Many benefits require an application even if the government already knows about the death.
Québec is the main exception: QPP / Retraite Québec has its own rules and forms.

Start here (best order for benefits)

A practical sequence that gets payments moving and avoids overpayments.

Use the Government of Canada “benefits & programs after a death” hub as your master checklist: canada.ca — Benefits and programs
Identify whether the person contributed to CPP or QPP (Québec). That decides your main payout system.
Apply for the relevant CPP/QPP benefits (death benefit, survivor pension, children’s benefit).
If you’re 60–64 and low income, check Allowance for the Survivor (OAS/GIS).
Notify the CRA and manage benefit credits/overpayments and tax steps (Final return + estate return).

One-line rule

“Notify” and “apply” are different actions. You can notify multiple departments and still receive nothing unless you submit the right applications.

Fast eligibility filters (30 seconds)

These determine almost every government payment.

Where did the person work? Mostly in Québec → likely QPP (Retraite Québec). Otherwise → CPP.
Were you a spouse/common-law partner? This is the biggest single gateway to ongoing payments.
Are there dependent children? Children may qualify for a monthly benefit under CPP/QPP.
Are you 60–64 and low income? Check Allowance for the Survivor (OAS/GIS).
Veteran status? Veterans Affairs Canada can add additional benefits.

If you’re unsure about CPP vs QPP

Don’t guess. Start from the federal hub and then follow the Québec pathway if appropriate: canada.ca — Benefits and programs

CPP / QPP: death & survivor benefits (core money)

This is usually the main government income support after a death.

If the person contributed to CPP (most of Canada)

CPP typically has three key benefit tracks:

CPP death benefit (one-time payment to the estate or eligible individuals) — official page
CPP survivor’s pension (monthly to a surviving spouse/common-law partner) — official page
CPP children’s benefit (monthly support for eligible children) — official page

Important: cancelling CPP/OAS to avoid overpayments

CPP/OAS payments generally must be cancelled after a death. If payments continue, they may need to be repaid. Official info: canada.ca — Benefits must be cancelled after a death

What to ask Service Canada (fast + effective)

“Please confirm which CPP benefits apply in this case (death benefit, survivor pension, children’s benefit), what I must apply for, what documents you need, and how I can track the status.”

If the person worked in Québec (QPP / Retraite Québec)

Québec has a separate pension plan. If the person contributed to the Québec Pension Plan, survivors may be entitled to benefits through Retraite Québec. Start here:

Retraite Québec — overview of pensions/benefits for spouse/children/heirs: official page
Eligibility for survivors’ benefits: official page

Québec public-sector plans can add more

If the deceased worked in Québec public sector (education, health, public service), there may be additional survivor benefits under public-sector pension plans. Start from Retraite Québec’s death section and follow the public-sector pathway if relevant.

OAS/GIS: Allowance for the Survivor (often missed)

A major monthly benefit for low-income surviving spouses aged 60–64.

If you are a surviving spouse/common-law partner and you are aged 60 to 64 with low income, you may qualify for the Allowance for the Survivor under the OAS/GIS system.

Allowance for the Survivor — overview (official)
Allowance for the Survivor — how to apply (official)

Why this is ‘world class’ important

People often focus on CPP and miss this entirely. If you’re in the 60–64 window and your income is low, it can be one of the most meaningful monthly supports available.

Children & families: payments that can increase

A death can change eligibility and amounts for family payments.

If you are now the primary caregiver for children, your eligibility or payment amount for federal family benefits may change. Start from the official family benefits hub and then follow the Canada Child Benefit pathway if relevant:

canada.ca — Family benefits (official hub)

Practical move

Update family circumstances promptly to avoid missing increases or triggering overpayments.

CRA: credits, stopping payments, and tax steps that affect money

This is where families lose money through overpayments, missed credits, or late filings.

1) Notify the CRA and manage benefits

The CRA provides a full pathway for “doing taxes for someone who died,” including how to notify the CRA of the date of death and manage benefit payments/credits. Start here:

CRA — Doing taxes for someone who died (official hub)
CRA — Notify the CRA of a date of death

2) Final return and estate filings

The deceased person’s representative generally must file a final T1 return (“Final Return”), and the estate may require a T3 trust return. Official steps: CRA — Prepare tax returns for someone who died

Practical question to ask

“Which benefits/credits must be stopped or transferred, and what tax filings are required for this estate (Final T1, optional returns, T3)?”

Veterans Affairs Canada (if applicable)

A separate system that can add survivor and funeral supports.

If the deceased was a veteran, you may have survivor benefits through Veterans Affairs Canada:

Veterans Affairs Canada — Survivor benefits (official)

Don’t assume someone else will trigger this

Even when veteran status is known, benefits often require an application or a specific process. Start with the official page and follow the contact pathway.

What differs by province/territory (and what doesn’t)

Canada is mostly federal for benefits — but there are real exceptions.

Mostly the same nationwide (federal)

CPP benefits (outside Québec)
OAS/GIS programs (including Allowance for the Survivor)
CRA tax rules, filings, and federal credits
Veterans benefits

Key exception: Québec

If the person worked in Québec, the pension system is QPP (Retraite Québec) and the process/eligibility rules can differ. Use the Retraite Québec links in the CPP/QPP section above.

Possible provincial add-ons (smaller, but can matter)

Provincial/territorial social assistance may include limited funeral help for low-income households (varies by region).
Employment leave rules are provincial/territorial (bereavement leave and job protections differ).

How to handle provincial add-ons (without getting lost)

Treat provincial supports as a “second layer” after CPP/QPP + OAS/GIS + CRA. Start federal, then check your province/territory if you need extra help.

Document checklist (to get paid faster)

If you build this pack once, every application becomes easier.

Death certificate or proof of death (as required by the program)
SIN for the deceased and the applicant (where applicable)
Proof of relationship (marriage certificate, common-law proof, children’s birth certificates)
Banking details (void cheque or direct deposit info)
Any pension documents (CPP/QPP details, statements, letters)
CRA identifiers and prior returns if available (helps with estate/tax steps)

Pro tip

Make a folder with: scans + a one-page “facts sheet” (full names, dates, addresses, SINs, relationship, bank info). It saves hours.

Copy/paste phrases (calls & forms)

Short scripts that get you to the right pathway quickly.

Service Canada (CPP)

“I need to confirm which CPP benefits apply in this case (CPP death benefit, survivor’s pension, children’s benefit), what I must apply for, and what documents you need. Please provide a reference number and how to track status.”

Allowance for the Survivor (OAS/GIS)

“I am a surviving spouse/common-law partner aged 60–64 with low income. I want to check eligibility for the Allowance for the Survivor and understand what documents are required and how to apply.”

CRA

“I’m the representative for someone who died. I need to notify the date of death, confirm what benefits/credits must be stopped or transferred, and understand which tax filings are required (Final T1, optional returns, estate T3).”

Québec (Retraite Québec)

“The deceased worked in Québec. I need to confirm QPP survivor benefits eligibility and the correct application pathway for death and survivor benefits.”

Common mistakes that cost money

These are the big “silent losses” to avoid.

Assuming CPP/QPP benefits are automatic (many require applications).
Missing OAS/GIS Allowance for the Survivor (60–64) because people only look at CPP.
Not cancelling benefits promptly and then dealing with overpayment recovery later.
Treating Québec like the rest of Canada (QPP/Retraite Québec is a genuine fork).
Letting CRA steps slide (credits, final return, and estate filings affect net money kept).

If you only do 3 things this week

(1) Confirm CPP vs QPP, (2) apply for the core benefits, (3) notify CRA and stop/transfer credits to avoid overpayments.

Next steps

Split the load into smaller guides.

Administrative checklist: What to do after a death (Canada)
Legal & estate basics: Legal & estate basics (Canada)
Emotional support: Bereavement support (Canada)

Built to evolve

This page is structured in blocks so you can later split into dedicated pages (CPP/QPP, OAS/GIS, CRA, Veterans) without rewriting.

Related guides

Back to help (Canada)