How to Cancel CPP and OAS After a Death in Ontario

Among the many calls you have to make after a death, one of the most time-sensitive is telling the government to stop pension payments. If money keeps going into the deceased's account, it may have to be paid back.

This article explains how to report a death for CPP and OAS, what the estate may need to repay, and how the CPP death benefit works. It is general information for Ontario families and estate trustees.

Who reports the death and how

CPP and OAS benefits must be cancelled when the beneficiary dies. Service Canada can be notified at 1-800-277-9914.

In practice the estate trustee, often called the executor, is the person who handles this. Ontario's probate guidance says the estate trustee is the only person with legal authority to manage or distribute an estate. If no one has been named yet, a close family member often makes the first call so payments stop, but the estate trustee takes over the paperwork.

• Have the deceased's Social Insurance Number and date of death ready.
• Have your own contact details and your relationship to the deceased.
• Write down the date and the name of the person you spoke with.
• Keep copies of anything you send.

What must be returned

Benefits are payable for the month in which the death occurs. All payments issued after that month must be returned, and any already cashed must be repaid. So if the death occurs in the middle of a month, that month's payment is generally still the person's.

Whether a payment is still sitting in the account or has already been spent, payments issued after the month of death must be returned or repaid. How to handle a particular payment depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with Service Canada or a lawyer.

The CPP death benefit

For deaths on or after January 1, 2025, the CPP death benefit has a basic amount of $2,500 plus a possible $2,500 top-up, up to $5,000 in total. The deceased must have contributed for at least one-third of the calendar years in their contributory period (minimum three years), or for 10 calendar years. The executor should apply within 60 days of the date of death.

The top-up is not paid if the deceased had ever received a CPP or QPP disability benefit, post-retirement disability benefit or retirement pension, or if a surviving spouse or common-law partner is eligible for a survivor's pension.

If there is no estate, or the executor does not apply, the benefit may be paid, in this order, to the person or institution paying the funeral expenses, the surviving spouse or common-law partner, or the next of kin. The rules for deaths before 2025 differ, so confirm which applies to you.

Notifying the CRA and other tax steps

Reporting to Service Canada is separate from notifying the Canada Revenue Agency. Notify the CRA of a death as soon as possible, by phone or by mailing Form RC4111, Notify the Canada Revenue Agency of a Death, to avoid benefit repayments. Any CRA payment received after the death should be returned to the tax centre.

The estate trustee must also file a final T1 Income Tax and Benefit Return, and a T3 return may be needed for the estate. For a death between January 1 and October 31, the final return is due April 30 of the following year, and the balance owing is due on the same date. Deaths in November or December, and cases involving a business, have different deadlines.

What to do next

• Call Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 as soon as you can.
• Notify the CRA by phone or with Form RC4111.
• Keep track of any pension deposits made after the month of death, since payments issued after that month must be returned or repaid.
• Ask the executor to apply for the CPP death benefit within 60 days of the date of death.
• Keep a record of every call, letter and payment.
• If the estate has been paid more than it should have, ask a lawyer or accountant how to arrange repayment.

If you are unsure whether the estate has to repay a payment, or you are not sure who the executor is, a lawyer can help you sort it out before money is distributed to beneficiaries.

Frequently asked questions