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  Most working Canadians make Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions out of their salaries, which are then matched by their employers. Those who make CPP contributions can qualify for CPP benefits later. All CPP benefits require an application process. You can get application forms by going to the Service Canada website (see Resources) or by calling 1-800-277-9914.
  
  

Retirement Pension

• The CPP retirement pension is paid monthly to those Canadians who are older than 65 and who have made CPP contributions on their incomes in the past. If you are between 60 and 64 years old, you may also qualify for a CPP retirement pension if you have stopped working or if your monthly income is less than the maximum monthly pension payment. As of 2010, the maximum monthly payment for a CPP retirement pension is $934.17. A CPP retirement pension is calculated based on how long you have worked and how much you have contributed to CPP over your career. The CPP calculations are designed to come up with a benefit amount that replaces 25 percent of your working income. At the end of 2009, the average CPP retirement pension benefit payment was $502.57.
  
  

Disability Benefits

• The CPP disability benefit is paid monthly to Canadians who have been making CPP contributions over their working careers and who are unable to have a job of any kind due to a serious and long-lasting injury or illness. To qualify for CPP disability benefits, a physician must confirm that your disability is serious enough to prevent you from working. If your condition changes enough to allow you to work, your CPP disability benefits will stop. CPP disability benefit monthly payment amounts are calculated based on how much you have contributed to CPP in the past. This amount is then added to a fixed base amount, which in 2009 was $424.43. At the end of 2009, the average CPP disability benefit was $809.70 per month, and the maximum monthly benefit amount allowed in 2010 is $1,126.76.
  
  

Survivor's Pension

• The CPP survivor's pension benefit is paid monthly to the spouse or common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor. The deceased CPP contributor must have made CPP contributions for at least three years for his spouse or common-law partner to qualify for this benefit. This benefit is calculated based on the time period and amounts of the deceased's contributions, the age of the deceased, the survivor's CPP status and whether the deceased had any dependent children. At the end of 2009, the average CPP survivor benefit monthly payments were $364.74 per month when the deceased was younger than 65 and $297.09 when the deceased was older than 65. The average CPP benefit paid for dependent children of a deceased contributor was $213.99.