Calculation of your retirement pension under the Québec Pension Plan

Your retirement pension under the Québec Pension Plan (QPP) is calculated based on:

• the employment earnings entered in your file under the QPP. Higher earnings will give you a higher pension;
• the age at which you apply for your pension. At age 65, you will receive 100% of the expected amounts. If you apply for your pension after age 65, it will be higher for life. It will stop increasing at age 72. If you apply for your pension between ages 60 and 65, it will be lower for life.

The employment earnings used for the calculation of your retirement pension are those you earned between the month of your 18th birthday and the end of the first of the following months:

• the month before payment of your retirement pension began;
• the month of your 72nd birthday.

Only your employment earnings that exceed $3500 per year are taken into account in the calculation.

If your earnings for the year are higher than the maximum pensionable earnings, the maximum will be used to calculate your pension.

The age at which you begin receiving your pension determines its amount for life. If you are age 65 and you begin receiving your retirement pension that year, it will give you a little over 25% of the average employment earnings you received during your career.

If your pension begins before or after you turn 65, an adjustment factor applies to the pension amount. For a person who begins receiving his or her pension before age 65, the pension decreases by 0.5% to 0.6% for each month before he or she turns 65. The adjustment factor, which depends on each person's history of contributions to the QPP, is determined by comparing a retirement pension at age 65 and a maximum retirement pension. Therefore, the factor varies based on the set proportion. It will be around 0.5% for a person who receives a lower pension. It will increase in proportion to the retirement pension amount up to 0.6% for a person receiving the maximum amount. On the contrary, for a person who begins receiving his or her pension after age 65, the pension increases by 0.7% for each month that has passed since he or she turned 65. A person therefore receives a higher or lower pension based on the adjustment factor. 

Here are the pensions received each month by persons who applied for their pension in 2025, based on their age when they filed their application.

Which earnings are excluded from the calculation of the retirement pension under the QPP?

For the calculation of your pension, we exclude the months during which you were entitled to, as applicable:

• a disability pension under the Québec Pension Plan or Canada Pension Plan;
• an unreduced income replacement indemnity from the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) for at least 24 consecutive months.
• family benefits paid by the Gouvernement du Québec or the Canadian government for a child under age 7. The period may extend to the end of the year during which the child turns 18. This is the case if you are receiving the Supplement for Handicapped Children Requiring Exceptional Care for the child.

In addition, if this benefits you, up to 15% of your lowest employment earnings will not decrease your pension. This also includes the periods during which you had no earnings.

Why are these earnings excluded from the calculation of your pension?

They are excluded simply to increase the average used to calculate your pension. If the earnings were taken into account, your pension could be lower.

Would you like to wait until you turn 65 to apply for your retirement pension?

After age 65, you can stop working, reduce your work hours or choose a lower paying job without it lowering your average employment earnings used to calculate your pension.

What you should know about the amount of your retirement pension

Here are some things you should know about the calculation of your pension:

• The age at which you begin receiving your pension determines its amount for life.
• If you apply for your pension after age 65, you can choose to receive a retroactive pension.
• Your pension increases each year in January because it is adjusted based on the cost of living. It is adjusted the year following the first payment.
• Your pension is taxable. It is therefore considered as income when calculating income tax. Tax deductions are not made automatically. If you would like, you can request to have income tax deducted at source.
• You can reduce your income taxes by sharing your retirement pension with your spouse.
• In the event of a divorce or separation, partition of the employment earnings entered under the QPP may be carried out. After partition, the calculation of the pension will be adjusted.

Consult your Statement of Participation under the QPP in My Account to find out the employment earning amounts entered in your file. The document also gives you an estimate of your retirement pension.

Did you financially plan for your retirement?

When you feel it is the right time for you, you must file an application for a retirement pension. You will not receive it automatically.

Also consult

• SimulR: the simplified tool for simulating retirement income
• CompuPension: simulating your retirement income
• Calculation of the retirement pension under the Québec Pension Plan