Benefits for children under 25

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) children's benefits provide monthly payments to the dependent children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors.

The child must be either:

• under age 18; or
• under age 25 and in full-time attendance at a recognized school or university.

There are two types of CPP children's benefits:

• A disabled contributor's child's benefit – a monthly payment for a child of the person receiving a CPP disability benefit.
• A surviving child's benefit – a monthly payment for a child of the deceased contributor. For the benefit to be paid, the deceased contributor must have made sufficient contributions to the CPP.

A maximum of two children’s benefits can be paid to a child.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the child must be:

• the natural child of the contributor
• a child adopted “legally" or "in fact" by the contributor while under the age of 21
• a child "legally" or "in fact" in the custody and control of the contributor while under the age of 21

A child may be eligible if the parent or guardian:

• is receiving a CPP disability benefit (either the disability pension or the post-retirement disability benefit)
• has died and met the CPP contributory requirements for a CPP death benefit