Death of a parent and the orphan's pension

• You could be entitled to survivor's benefits if the deceased contributed sufficiently to the Québec Pension Plan.
• The deceased's children who are under age 18 are eligible for an orphan's pension. The pension can be paid to the person or organization that cares for the child.
• Payment of an orphan's pension begins in the month following the death. Since 1 January 2012, the allowance granted to orphans has increased. The increase also applies to orphans' pensions already being paid. In 2012, the amount is 224,62$ a month for each child. The pension ends when the child turns 18.
• The person who is caring for the child can apply for an orphan's pension by using the online Application for Survivors' Benefits.
• If a child is already receiving an orphan's pension and his or her other parent dies, only one pension will be paid.

Another useful link

• The section What to Do in the Event of Death on the Gouvernement du Québec portal has a list of the steps to take following the death of a family member.