Canadian Armed Forces Pension Plan (Regular Force)
Federal
Full pension and early retirement
You get a full pension, with no reduction, at the first of these:
- 25 years of service
- Age 60 with 2 years of service
- Age 55 with 30 years of service
- Earliest retirement
- Age 40
- Retiring earlier
- Reduced 5% a year under 60
- Pension formula
- 1.375% of your average pay up to the CPP earnings limit (YMPE) and 2% above it, for each year of service
- Most service counted
- 35 years
- Bridge benefit
- Until age 65, not reduced if you retire early
- Increases after you retire
- 100% of inflation
What retiring early costs: an example
Someone joins at 35, is paid $85,000 a year and works until each age below, so their years of service are their age less 35. Amounts are a year, before tax, in today's dollars.
| Retire at | Years of service | Reduction | Pension | Bridge to 65 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 15 | 50% | $9,500 | $6,500 |
| 51 | 16 | 45% | $11,200 | $6,900 |
| 52 | 17 | 40% | $12,900 | $7,400 |
| 53 | 18 | 35% | $14,800 | $7,800 |
| 54 | 19 | 30% | $16,900 | $8,200 |
| 55 | 20 | 25% | $19,000 | $8,600 |
| 56 | 21 | 20% | $21,300 | $9,100 |
| 57 | 22 | 15% | $23,700 | $9,500 |
| 58 | 23 | 10% | $26,200 | $9,900 |
| 59 | 24 | 5% | $28,900 | $10,400 |
| 60 | 25 | None | $31,700 | $10,800 |
Retiring at 50 instead of 60 costs twice: 10 fewer years of service, and the reduction on what is left. Early retirement reduction explains both.
What to copy from your paperwork
To use your own numbers in the income timeline:
Your pension centre can estimate the pension for a release date you choose. Ask for the one at your first date with no reduction, 25 years of service or age 60, and enter it here. Ask for it without future pay raises: this tool takes it as today's dollars. A quick estimate uses the plan's own rules and rates.
Where these rules come from
- Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, Part I
- Indexing: Canadian Armed Forces pensions · Public Services and Procurement Canada
- Last reviewed October 23, 2026.
These rules are simplified. Your plan's own estimate is the one to rely on; see the disclaimer.