When Should You Start Your Pension? CPP, RRQ & OAS Calculator
Compare your Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Quebec Pension Plan (RRQ) or Old Age Security (OAS) pension at different start ages — 60, 65, 70 or even 72 — using the official adjustment factors. Enter the amount from your own pension statement and see, in seconds, what starting earlier or later is worth — and what happens if you keep working.
Break-even ages
The break-even age compares total dollars received, before tax and before inflation indexing. It is a mathematical reference point — not a recommendation.
Old Age Security (OAS) — federal, under both plans
If You Keep Working
Working longer changes your pension in two completely different ways — and they are often confused. Here they are, separately.
Scenario A Work longer, start your pension later
You keep working and delay your pension. The age adjustment alone changes your monthly amount to:
On top of this, extra years of contributions can also raise the base amount itself: the CPP calculation drops some of your lowest-earning years, and the RRQ is based on your best earnings years. That second effect depends on your personal earnings record, so this page does not guess it — your updated statement shows the real figure.
Scenario B Collect your pension while you keep working
You start your pension but keep working. Each year of contributions then builds a small extra pension, paid on top of the first one for the rest of your life.
Your Income If You Keep Working — After Tax
Enter what you receive each month — your pension, OAS and salary — and this section estimates the income tax for the full year, then shows what is left, per year and per month.
The estimate uses the 2026 tax rates of the province or territory you select, on top of federal tax.
The tax estimates use the 2026 rates published by the Canada Revenue Agency and each province and territory, including the basic personal amount, the age amount (65 and over) and the pension income amount. Every tax figure is an estimate.
Part 1 — One person
Left per month after tax
Part 2 — A couple: two pensioners, one household
Person 1
Person 2
Household total per month after tax
The Rules in One Table
| Rule | CPP | RRQ (Quebec) | OAS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest start | 60 | 60 | 65 |
| Reduction before 65 | −0.6% per month (−36% at 60) | −0.3% to −0.6% per month* | Not possible before 65 |
| Bonus after 65 | +0.7% / month | +0.7% / month | +0.6% / month |
| Latest useful start | 70 (+42%) | 72 (+58.8%) | 70 (+36%) |
* This calculator uses 0.6% for the RRQ reduction — the maximum. Your actual reduction depends on the size of your pension.
Three Worked Examples
Example 1 — CPP, $1,000 at 65
Start at 60: $640/month. Start at 65: $1,000/month. Start at 70: $1,420/month. Waiting from 60 to 65 only pulls ahead in total dollars at about age 73 years 11 months — the early starter collects for 13 extra years first.
Example 2 — RRQ, $1,200 at 65
Start at 60: $768/month. Start at 65: $1,200/month. Wait until 72 — possible only with the RRQ: $1,906/month, a 58.8% bonus for life.
Example 3 — Start at 60 and keep working
Start the CPP at 60 ($640/month on a $1,000 pension) and keep working 5 more years at maximum earnings. The post-retirement benefit adds about 5 × $49 = $245/month, for an estimated total of about $885/month for life.
Questions, Answered
Where do I find my “pension at 65” amount?
On your statement: for the CPP, your Statement of Contributions in My Service Canada Account; for the RRQ, your Statement of Participation from Retraite Québec. Enter the monthly amount shown for age 65 — this calculator applies the official adjustments to it.
Is the reduction or bonus permanent?
Yes. The adjustment is locked in for life and your pension is then indexed to inflation every year. Starting at 60 means a permanently smaller — but earlier — pension; waiting means a permanently larger one.
Does this include taxes, the GIS or my other income?
No. This page covers only the CPP/RRQ age adjustments and the basic OAS delay bonus. The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is income-tested and cannot be delayed for a bonus, and taxes depend on your full situation. Treat every figure as a before-tax estimate.
Can I really collect a pension and keep working?
Yes. If you collect the CPP and keep working, you and your employer keep contributing, and each year builds a Post-Retirement Benefit that is added to your pension the following year, for life. The RRQ works the same way through its retirement pension supplement. Scenario B above estimates the effect.
So is it always better to wait?
Not necessarily. Waiting wins on monthly amount, but the early starter receives years of payments first — that is what the break-even ages show. Health, other income, taxes and personal plans all matter. This page gives you the arithmetic; the decision is yours, ideally with a qualified advisor.
How does the after-tax section estimate the income tax?
The pension amounts in the sections above are before tax. The after-tax section adds up the yearly income you enter there and applies the 2026 federal tax brackets and the brackets of the province or territory you select, with the basic personal amount, the age amount (65 and over) and the pension income amount. For a couple, each person is taxed separately on their own income — that is how Canada does it — and the two results are then added together. It is a plain-language estimate, not a tax return: deductions, other credits and pension income splitting are not included.
Estimator only — not financial advice. All figures are estimates calculated from the pension amount you enter and the adjustment factors published by Service Canada (CPP and OAS) and Retraite Québec (RRQ). Your actual pension depends on your contribution record and the rules in force when you apply. For an official calculation, consult Service Canada or Retraite Québec.