As you may have heard, former spouses (both married and common-law) are eligible to “split” their Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Credits after their separation.

When a person works and earns an income from their employment, they accumulate credits with CPP entitling them to the payout of a pension from the government upon their retirement.

Upon the breakdown of a marriage, the laws of Canada and Ontario attempt to measure the growth that each person experience during the marriage and share that wealth between the parties. CPP credits are no exception. Your entitlement to your former spouse’s CPP credits increases with the length of your marriage and the disparity in your respective incomes.

For more specific information and limitation periods for making a claim regarding the splitting of CPP credits, please click on the following link: How To Apply For A Canadian Pension Plan Credit Split.