Canadian Armed Forces pensions
Becoming a parent (Active member): Regular Force enrolled before March 1, 2007

Find out about the survivor benefit that may available to your eligible children in the event of your death.

What to do about my pension when I become a parent while serving

If you become a parent, please provide a copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate(s), adoption papers, or evidence of guardianship to the Canadian Armed Forces Pension Centre. This will allow faster processing of any benefits that may become payable.

Benefits my children may receive if I die while serving

Each of your children, to a maximum of 4, receives a pension equal to 20% of the pension payable to your survivor. For children under age 18, this pension is paid to the survivor or legal guardian on behalf of the children. Children who are age 18 or older have the benefit paid directly to them if they are attending school on a full-time basis until age 25. Your children receive a pension as long as they meet the definition of "child".

Your child(ren) includes an adopted child(ren) or stepchild(ren), born before you reached age 60 or stopped being a member of the plan, whichever happens later, and who is/are:

• younger than age 18 or
• between ages 18 and 25, and in full-time attendance at a school, college, university or other educational institution that provides training or instruction of an educational, professional, vocational or technical nature

If there is no survivor pension payable at your death, or when your survivor dies, the child pension is increased from 20% to 40% of the survivor amount.

If you have more than four children when you die, the amount of the pensions for four children will be divided equally among all the children.