Child-rearing provisions

Do you qualify for child-rearing provisions

Child-rearing provisions may apply to you if:

• you had children born after December 31, 1958
• you had lower earnings because you were the *primary caregiver of a dependent child under the age of 7
• You or your spouse or common-law partner received Family Allowance payments or qualified for the Canada Child Benefit (even if you did not receive the benefit)

*The primary caregiver is the person who was most responsible for the day-to-day needs of the children for the specified periods.

How it works

If you qualify, your pension amount will be adjusted/calculated as follows:

• We won’t include the months in which you had lower or no income during the period you were raising your young children when calculating the base component of your CPP benefit.

We’ll give you pension credits for the months you had lower or no income during the period you were raising your young children when calculating the enhanced component of your CPP benefit, if the credits are higher than your actual earnings. The pension credits are based on your average earnings in the 5 years before the birth or adoption of your child. These 2 provisions protect the value of your CPP benefits during the period that you earned less or no income while caring for your children.

The child-rearing provisions could also help you qualify for a CPP disability benefit, should you need it.

In the event of your death, it could also help you meet the contributory requirements to give benefits to your estate and survivors.

Apply for child-rearing provisions

You should apply for the child-rearing provisions when you apply for any CPP benefit. You can apply through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA). If you don’t have a My Service Canada Account, you can register for one. You’ll receive a personal access code to complete your registration.

Required Documents

• Complete the child-rearing sections 11A and B in the application form for the CPP retirement pension (ISP1000) and the application for a CPP Disability Benefit (ISP1151) if you’re applying for these benefits.
• If you’re applying for other CPP benefits, you’ll need to complete the child-rearing provision form (ISP1640) separately.

Additional Information

In your application, you must also include the information listed below for each child:

• the child's name, date of birth, and Social Insurance Number
• proof of entry date into Canada for children born outside Canada

If you’re already receiving a CPP benefit

You can still request the child-rearing provisions through your My Service Canada Account or by completing the child-rearing provision form (ISP1640) and mailing it to Service Canada to the address listed on the form.