Starting CPP at 65
General information about the Canada Pension Plan retirement pension, not financial advice. Rules are as published on Canada.ca in October 2026.
Age 65 is the standard start age for the CPP retirement pension. The estimate on your Statement of Contributions is based on it, and all early and late adjustments are measured from it.
How 65 compares
Starting earlier reduces the pension by 0.6% a month, up to 36% at 60. Starting later increases it by 0.7% a month, up to 42% at 70.
| Start age | Monthly if $1,000 at 65 | Breakeven vs 65 |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | $640 | about 73.9 |
| 62 | $784 | about 75.9 |
| 65 | $1,000 | — |
| 67 | $1,168 | about 78.9 |
| 70 | $1,420 | about 81.9 |
Breakeven against an earlier start means the age where starting at 65 catches up; against a later start, it is the age where the later start catches up with 65.
Why many people choose 65
- It lines up with the standard start age for Old Age Security, which makes retirement income easier to plan.
- Many workplace pensions use 65 as their normal retirement age.
- It balances the risk of starting early against the uncertainty of waiting.
Things to consider
If you expect to live well into your eighties and have other income or savings to cover the years in between, waiting past 65 gives a larger, inflation-indexed pension for life. If you need income sooner or have health concerns, an earlier start can make sense. The calculator lets you compare three start ages at once.
Open the CPP breakeven calculator →
Reviewed October 2026 against Canada.ca · How we build our calculators · Report an issue