Alexandre Bernier, CFP®, CIM®QPP Pension Amounts by Age: 2026 Charts and Tables
The single biggest lever on your Quebec Pension Plan (QPP/RRQ) retirement pension is the age you start it. Since Quebec extended deferral to age 72 on January 1, 2024, the spread between the earliest and latest start ages is wider than ever. These charts and tables show the 2026 amounts at every age from 60 to 72, so you can see the trade-off at a glance. For the rules behind the numbers, see our explainer, QPP Deferral to Age 72: What Changed and How It Works.
Monthly Pension by Start Age: Average and Maximum
This is the headline chart. Each age shows two bars: the average pension (a career at roughly half the maximum pensionable earnings) and the maximum pension (contributions at the maximum every year). Waiting from 60 to 72 more than doubles the monthly maximum, from $965 to $2,394.
Monthly Amounts Table
| Start age | Average /month | Maximum /month |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | $490 | $965 |
| 61 | $538 | $1,073 |
| 62 | $586 | $1,182 |
| 63 | $634 | $1,291 |
| 64 | $683 | $1,399 |
| 65 | $731 | $1,508 |
| 66 | $792 | $1,634 |
| 67 | $854 | $1,761 |
| 68 | $915 | $1,888 |
| 69 | $976 | $2,014 |
| 70 | $1,038 | $2,141 |
| 71 | $1,099 | $2,268 |
| 72 | $1,161 | $2,394 |
Annual Maximum Pension by Start Age
The same story in yearly dollars, which is often easier to compare against RRSP or RRIF withdrawals and OAS. At the maximum, starting at 65 pays $18,092 per year, while waiting to 72 pays $28,730 per year, a difference of $10,638 every year for life, before indexation.
Annual Amounts Table
| Start age | Average /year | Maximum /year |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | $5,876 | $11,579 |
| 61 | $6,455 | $12,881 |
| 62 | $7,034 | $14,184 |
| 63 | $7,612 | $15,487 |
| 64 | $8,191 | $16,789 |
| 65 | $8,770 | $18,092 |
| 66 | $9,507 | $19,611 |
| 67 | $10,243 | $21,131 |
| 68 | $10,980 | $22,651 |
| 69 | $11,717 | $24,171 |
| 70 | $12,453 | $25,690 |
| 71 | $13,190 | $27,210 |
| 72 | $13,927 | $28,730 |
The Adjustment Factor: Pension as a Percentage of the Age-65 Amount
The amounts above all come from one engine: a percentage adjustment applied to your age-65 pension. Before 65 it reduces the pension; after 65 it increases it, up to +58.8% at age 72. The chart below expresses each age as a percentage of the age-65 pension, so age 60 sits at 64% and age 72 at 158.8%.
Adjustment Factor Table
| Start age | Adjustment factor |
|---|---|
| 60 | -30% to -36% |
| 61 | -24% to -28.8% |
| 62 | -18% to -21.6% |
| 63 | -12% to -14.4% |
| 64 | -6% to -7.2% |
| 65 | 0% |
| 66 | +8.4% |
| 67 | +16.8% |
| 68 | +25.2% |
| 69 | +33.6% |
| 70 | +42.0% |
| 71 | +50.4% |
| 72 | +58.8% |
The reduction before age 65 is a range: about -0.5% per month for lower pensions (-30% at age 60) and -0.6% per month for the maximum pension (-36% at age 60). The chart above uses the -0.6% (maximum-pension) basis. After 65, the increase is +0.7% per month for everyone.
What the Charts Assume
These are 2026 figures for a pension that starts in 2026. Two reference careers are shown:
Average pension: assumes career earnings equal to about half the maximum pensionable earnings. This is closer to what a typical worker receives.
Maximum pension: assumes contributions at the maximum pensionable earnings every year of the contributory period. Few people reach this, but it sets the ceiling.
Your own pension depends on your actual earnings history, so treat these as bookends. For a personalized estimate, sign in to Mon dossier at retraitequebec.gouv.qc.ca, then use our calculator to compare start ages. Amounts are also indexed to the cost of living each January and are taxable income.
Run These Numbers for Your Own Pension
Enter your age-65 estimate and compare every start age from 60 to 72, with lifetime value and breakeven ages.
Open the QPP Benefit Calculator →Sources. Retraite Québec, Retirement pension under the Quebec Pension Plan and At what age should you apply for your retirement pension. All amounts are 2026 figures for pensions starting in 2026. Related reading: QPP Deferral to Age 72 and CPP and CPP2 Explained for 2026.