People often qualify for less than the maximum. For example, the average monthly CPP payment in late 2002 was $440.19. Many of those people did not work a full career and/or for those who start their pension before they turn 65. You may start collecting your pension as early as 60, but then you would only collect 70% of pension entitlement.

Pension sharing - a tax-saving provision that lets couples pool their credits and then divide them equally. An example is when one spouse worked while the other was a full-time homemaker. The retired worker can shift half of the CPP benefit to the homemaker spouse who would then owe little or no tax on that share.

For more information visit: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/topics/cpr-gxr.shtml

Or Telephone: 1 800 277-9914

Source: Gov't of Canada, CPP website  (see above link)