The CPP offers you flexibility with respect to the age you retire. You may apply to start receiving your pension any time between ages 60 and 70. Currently, the CPP permanently reduces the pension amount by 0.5 percent per month if you decide to take your pension before reaching age 65. If you decide to take your pension between ages 65 and 70, the CPP permanently inceases the pension amount by 0.5 percent per month. At present, the maximum adjustment that may be made to your pension, up or down, is 30 percent. This adjustment is calculated from the time you start receiving your pension. Generally, this means that if you are willing and able to contnue working and contributing to the CPP, you will receive a larger pension. If you choose to begin receiving your pension before age 65, you must meet certain earings requirements.

If you are a surviving spouse or common-law partner of a CPP contributor, you may be eligible for a monthly survivor benefit. Dependent children up to the age fo 25 may also be eligible (those between 18 and 25 must be attending school full-time). The CPP also offers a lump-sum death benefit to the estate of qualifying contributors to help with funeral expenses.

If you are a CPP contributor under the age of 65 and cannot work at any job because of a severe and prolonged physical and/or mental disability, you may be eligible for basic earnings replacement in the form of monthly benefits provided by the Canada Pension Plan Disability program.

If you have children born after 1958, the child-rearing provision may help you receive a higher CPP benefit amount.

If you divorce or separate, CPP contributions made by both you and your spouse or common-law partner during your marriage or common-law relationship can be divided equally between you for the period of time you lived together. This division of contributions is called "credit splitting".

If both you and your spouse or common-law partner are age 60 or older, you can apply to share your CPP retirement pensions. Pension sharing can result in income tax savings.