Retirement Age in Canada and Retirement Plans

The standard retirement age in Canada is 65. You can, however, begin receiving a working place pension as early as 60 or as late as 70.

The amount you would receive each month will be less if you begin receiving your pension early. You will be paid more each month if you decide to start later.

There is no advantage to delaying pension receipt until after age 70. When you become 70, you can no longer receive more than that much each month.

Four Common Types of Retirement Plans in Canada

CPP (Canada Pension Plan): Benefits are typically started at age 65, however, recipients can choose to start receiving reduced payments as early as age 60 or postpone benefits until age 70.

OAS (Old Age Security): The begin collecting OAS benefits at a reduced rate as early as age 60 or to postpone them until age 70.

Workplace Pension Plans: The retirement age may vary depending on the specific plan several companies provide for workplace pension plans.

Personal Retirement Savings: For extra income during retirement, people can also choose Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) or Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs).

CPP – Canada Pension Plan Enhancement

Currently, there are three components to the CPP

• The base (or original) CPP
• The first additional component, which was phased in between 2019 and 2023;
• The second additional component, which will be phased in between 2024 and 2025.

CPP Upgrade Basic Plans

• Retirement benefits from CPP
• Benefit following retirement
• Disability Benefits
• Pension for dependents

Note: It will not affect eligibility for CPP benefits

Requesting Payments for earlier times in CPP

• The CPP retirement pension can be received retroactively for up to 11 months if you apply after turning 65.
• Your monthly benefit amount depends on the start date you select for receiving your benefit.
• For a CPP retirement pension obtained before the age of 65, there are no retroactive payments.

Should You hold out on getting started CPP Collection

Your age affects your pension amount

• Payments will reduce if you begin before age 65 by 0.6% per month (or 7.2% annually), with a maximum reduction of 36% if you begin at age 60
• Payments will rise if you begin after age 65 by 0.7% every month (or 8.4% annually), with a maximum increase of 42% if you begin at age 70 (or later).

Retirement Benefits CPP

Two retirement benefits are offered by the CPP:

• The CPP retirement pension.
• The post-retirement benefit for people who keep working and making contributions while receiving a retirement pension

Retirement benefits (retirement pensions and post-retirement benefitsFootnote6) account for 80% ($41.1 billion) of the total benefit amount paid out by the CPP in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

Consider Personal Circumstances

You should think about a variety of issues before selecting when to begin receiving retirement benefit.

• These consist of your financial condition, retirement goals, and general health.
• You can choose to delay the commencement of your CPP retirement pension if you’re in good health,
• As a result, your monthly pension will be higher, which can prevent you from outliving your funds.
• Choose to begin getting your pension before to age 65 if you’d prefer to work less
• If you need the money now to pay off debts or support your retirement goals.

Note: You can have a better understanding of your future financial security using the Canadian Retirement Income Planner

Can I retire before the age of 65 in Canada?

In Canada, you can indeed retire before age 65. The benefits from government pension programs like CPP and OAS may be decreased, though, if you decide to retire before age 65. When determining whether to retire early, it’s crucial to take into account the potential effects on your overall retirement income.

References: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp.html | https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/pensions/reports/annual-2021.html#h2.10 | https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits.html

Can I work after the standard retirement age in Canada?

Can continue to work in Canada past the country’s retirement age. After age 65, working is not subject to any limitations. The number of benefits you receive may vary depending on your income if you choose to receive government pension benefits while working.