Calculation of your disability pension under the Québec Pension Plan
A portion of your disability pension under the Québec Pension Plan (QPP) is calculated according to the employment earnings entered in your file under the QPP.
The employment earnings used for the calculation of your pension are the ones your earned between the month you turned 18 and the end of the month before your disability pension begins being paid.
Only your employment earnings that exceed $3500 per year are taken into account in the calculation. However, if you did not work for a year, this could decrease the average used to calculate your pension.
If your earnings for the year are higher than the maximum pensionable employment earnings, the maximum will be used to calculate your pension.
Which earnings are to taken into account when calculating your disability pension under the QPP?
We do not take into account the months during which you did not have earnings when you were entitled to, as applicable:
- a disability pension under the Québec Pension Plan or Canada Pension Plan;
- an income replacement indemnity from the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST);
- family benefits paid by the Québec or Canadian government for a child under age 7. This period may extend to the end of the year in which the child turns 18. That is the case if you receive the Supplement for Handicapped Children Requiring Exceptional Care for the child.
In addition, if it is to your advantage, we do not take into account the months in which you earned lower employment earnings during the same periods.
We can also remove up to 15% of your lowest earnings from the calculation of your pension.
Why are these earnings not used to calculate your pension?
Not taking into account these earnings increases the average used to calculate your pension. Therefore, your disability pension could be higher. This measure could also allow you to obtain certain benefits under the Québec Pension Plan or increase their amounts.
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