MQP and qualifying years

CPP Disability
1

I am having a hard time understanding MQP (minimum qualifying period) even after spending quite a bit of time looking into it.

Here is my situation:
My date of onset of disability is probably sometime between April and August of 2022. I was struggling badly since around April taking lots of sick/vacation days here and there, until I stopped working in August. I have been on STD and then LTD since I stopped working.

Questions:

  • I have logged into my My Service Canada Account> CPP> Contributions, and can see all my contributions, but how can I tell which years are qualifying years where I have paid the minimum contribution amount? I thought before (around a year ago when I last looked into this) that somewhere it clearly indicated whether it was a qualifying year or not, but I can’t find it anymore.

  • What is the deadline for me to apply for CPP-D? I am thinking it 's probably end of this year, but am rather nervous it may have been end of last year.

Thanks in advance.

2

This is a complicated area. In order to meet the MQP requirements, your disability onset date (as defined in the CPP Act) must fall within a period when you made minimum qualifying contributions for 4 of 6 years. For example, in 2021 the amount of pensionable earnings to meet the minimum contributions was $6,100. So you would need earnings of $6100 or more to qualify as meeting the minimum contributions for 2021. The amount required is different for each year. I happen to have the exact amount for 2021 in front of me, but the amount goes up $100 or so per year. The minimum qualifying amount for CPP retirement is much less so don’t get confused with that.

David Brannen

Disability Lawyer with Resolute Legal

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3

Thank you David for your response. I am finding it hard to understand the concept of MQP so I appreciate your input.

I was going to look up what the minimum amount is for each year but I find my online statement of contributions confusing so I just called Service Canada and actually got through to a representative within seconds! (there is a first time for everything lol). I was told that all the years I contributed to CPP are qualifying except for one year, and that I qualify for CPP-D (I guess the person meant I have made enough contributions to apply).

Just in case it is helpful for anyone else, I was also told that you can check whether you “qualify for CPP-D” by logging into My Service Canada Account> Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security> Estimated Monthly CPP Benefits. If there is an estimated amount given for CPP-D, that means that you meet the requirements to apply.
(Previously it used to show it on the online Statement of Contributions, but I don’t think it does anymore.)