Death Benefit

The death benefit under the Québec Pension Plan is a lump-sum payment of a maximal amount of 2 500 $. It is paid if the deceased contributed sufficiently to the Québec Pension Plan.

Who can receive the death benefit under the Québec Pension Plan?

• The death benefit is paid to the person or charitable organization that paid the funeral expenses or to the heirs. If an application and a photocopy of proof of payment are filed with us within 60 days of the death, priority is given to the person or charitable organization that paid the funeral expenses. No benefit is paid if the services were provided free of charge.
• After 60 days, if no application has been filed with proof of payment, the death benefit can be paid to the deceased's heirs. If there are no heirs or if the heirs have renounced the estate, the death benefit can be paid to others; contact us for more information.
  
  The application must be filed within 5 years after the date of death.
• If the death benefit amount paid for the funeral expenses is less than 2 500 $, the difference is granted to the heirs if they have not renounced the estate.
• We do not reimburse fees related to funeral services previously paid by the deceased. In that case, the death benefit could be paid to the heirs or other eligible persons, if they file an application. 

Conditions of payment

The person or charitable organization entitled to the benefit will receive a lump-sum by cheque for a maximum amount of 2 500 $.

Where the deceased did not make sufficient contributions to the Québec Pension Plan, a special benefit for funeral expenses  could be paid by the Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale. Consult the Death section on Québec.ca to find out the steps to take with other departments and agencies.

The death benefit is taxable

It must be declared in the income of the estate, regardless of the name in which the cheque was made. For further information, contact Revenu Québec  or the Canada Revenue Agency .

For more information...

• Accepted expenses and payment receipts
• Payer with ties to the funeral home and funeral preplanning