Tag Archives: retirement

How To Check My CPP Contributions Online at My Service Canada: Part Two: Using a GCKey

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First I had to apply for a Personal Access Code and wait for it to arrive in the mail from the federal government. Then, I had to use my PAC to set up a GCKey to use online. Now, finally, I should be able to sign in to the Service Canada website and look up my CPP contributions.

Specifically, I want to see how many years of maximum contributions I have made. The monthly Canada Pension Plan payment I will get in the future depends on how much I have contributed each year since I turned 18, excluding only my 7 lowest income earning years and the years I was not employed at all while I provided child care for my children under the age of 7, if applicable.

In general, most Canadians are NOT eligible for the maximum monthly CPP payment because most of us had jobs that paid too little for at least some of our working years. Remember, even the years you attended school after high school count in the CPP calculations. Somehow the government expected you to be making a good-sized annual pay cheque without any higher education! They also assume you will not take early retirement or be forced into it by a layoff or company restructuring.

Checking my CPP Contributions Online at the My Service Canada Website

To Learn About Your CPP Statement of Contributions

Visit http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/services/pensions/cpp/contributions/soc.shtml and read about how and why you may want to view or print your Statement of Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan. For example, it’s a good idea to get any errors fixed a few years before you want to start claiming CPP.

This page also explains the short forms used on your report.

To Get Your CPP Statement of Contributions

  1. Next, go to http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/online/mysca.shtml
  2. Click on the link called: Are you a returning user? Log in now!
  3. Click on the button: Access My Service Canada Account.
  4. Near the bottom of the Access My Service Canada Account screen, click on the GCKey button.

On the GCKey Log In or Register screen

  1. In the User ID field, type your GCKey.
  2. In the Password field, type your password.
  3. Click on the Log In button

On the Welcome User ID screen

  • Click on the Continue button.

Review the Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions screen. If it’s acceptable, click on the button: I agree

The My Service Canada Account welcome screen opens.
There’s quite a list of links to choose from.
About half way down the screen is a Tab called View/Print.
Under it is listed a heading Canada Pension Plan (CPP) / Old Age Security (OAS) Pension.

  • Click on the link: View my CPP Contributions.

It may take a minute or so to open the next screen.

The CPP Earnings and Contributions screen opens.
It should list each year you worked, and how much you contributed to CPP.

[This is hilarious: Apparently during a year in the last century my husband contributed $0.14. That must have been some part time job!]

Interestingly enough, there is no convenient way to print the information.
You have to either use the print function for your internet browser, or
copy and paste the information into a word processor program and print it from here.

To Copy the CPP Statement of Contributions Into a Word Document.

  1. Open MS Word.
  2. Click on your contributions statement in your internet browser.
  3. To select everything, while holding down the Ctrl key, press the A key.
  4. :Click on your new, empty Word document.
  5. To paste all the information, while holding down the Ctrl key, press the V key.
  6. Highlight and delete all the stuff you don’t want or need like links to the various Service Canada web pages.
  7. Save your Word document and/or print it.

Securely end your My Service Canada session

  1. Click on the red Log out button near the top of the screen.
  2. Click on the grey Log out button on the next screen.

So what do all those contributions and letters mean? Well, that’s what I’ll have to find out and report on next.

Related Reading

Join In
Did you find any incredibly silly contribution amounts when you looked at your contribution history? Was it unnerving to see very few Ms (for maximum contribution) on your report. Please share your experiences with a comment.

How to Get a GCKey for My Service Canada After You Get Your Personal Access Code, PAC

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A bit over a week ago, I applied online for a new Personal Access Code from Service Canada. I need it so that I can get a GCKey which is a userid and password to use when looking up information on the Service Canada website. Specifically, I want to check my CPP contribution history and my expected Canada Pension Plan payments. Once my PAC has arrived in the mail, here’s how I set up a GCKey.

You may want to do this too if you want to check your CPP, EI or OAS online at Service Canada.

What You Need to Register for a GCKey

You won’t want to get half-way through this and find you don’t have what you need, so here’s a list:

  • Your Personal Access Code letter from Service Canada (Need a PAC? Read How to Apply for a PAC)
  • Your Social Insurance Number
  • Your date of birth and province or territory of residence
  • Some idea of what you want to use for your userid (8 character minimum) and password (8 character minimum)

How to Register for a GCKey

  1. Go to www.servicecanada.gc.ca/mcsa
  2. Read the warning messages, if any, about recent frauds.
  3. Click on the link: Are you a first-time user? Register now!
  4. Click on the Access My Service Canada Account

On the Access My Service Canada Account Screen

  1. If desired, to see an example of how to use an Access Key to set up a GCKey, click on the link: Tutorial-transitioning from Access Key to GCKey.
  2. The first step is to register with GCKey. Near the bottom of the screen, look for the message
    To log in or register with GCKey, select the GCKey button below
    And click on the GCKey button.

On the GCKey Log In or Register Screen

  1. Read the message and try to ignore the typo. (“muiltiple” is probably supposed to say “multiple”)
  2. To get a GCKey, in the phrase Register for a new GCKey, click on the link: Register

On the GCKey Registration Step 1 of 2 Screen

  1. Read the Terms and Conditions of Use and if you agree, click on the button: I accept

(You can’t do any of the rest of this procedure if you click the button: I decline.)

On the Create Your Registration Information Screen

  1. In the Create Your User ID field, type the combination of letters and numbers that you want to use when you sign in to your My Service Canada account. Don’t use a userid for email or any other program.
  2. From the Select a Recovery Question drop-down list, click on the downward pointing arrow, then choose which question you want to answer.
    For example: I selected: What is the first musical instrument I ever played.
  3. In the My Recovery Answer field, type the response to this question.
    For example, I typed: xylophone
    (Really! Would an Honest Crooks lie to you? Well, ok, maybe….)
  4. In the My Memorable Person field, type the name of someone you will be able to remember.
  5. In the My Memorable Person hint field, type some clue to that person’s identity.
  6. In the My Memorable Date field, type the date of something memorable to you.
  7. In the My Memorable Date Hint field, type some clue to that date.
  8. In the Create Your Password field, type a long password using uppercase and lowercase letters and some numbers. For safety, don’t use a password you use elsewhere.
  9. Click on the Continue button.

On the GCKey Registration Complete Screen

  • Click Continue.

On the Client Confirmation Screen
Option 1 says I am a new user, or I have forgotten my previous user ID and/or password

  1. Below Option 1, click to select the radio button beside Register
  2. then click on the Continue button.

Read the Personal information collection statement then if you agree, click on the I Agree button.

On the Authentication screen,

  • In the Social Insurance Number field, type your SIN.
  • In the Date of Birth area, type your year of birth, then select the month and day from the drop down lists.
  • In the EI access code/CPP/OAS personal access code field type the Personal Access Code from your letter from Service Canada.
  • From the Province or Territory drop-down list select the place where you live.
  • Click on the Submit button.

On the Confirming Your New User ID and Password Screen

  • Either click on the Continue button to use Service Canada; or
  • to leave the service, click on the button called: Log out

I clicked on Continue.

Read the Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.
If they are acceptable, click on I agree.

The My Service Canada splash screen will open.

When you are finished, be sure to click on the Log out button near the top right side of the screen.
Click on the log out confirmation button on the next screen.
For added security, close your browser session.

Coming Up Soon

Soon I’ll be sharing an article about how to look up your CPP contributions online. Honest! I didn’t realize this would all take so long. If you’re in a hurry you may prefer to phone Service Canada and request they mail you your CPP info.

Related Reading

Join In
Do you find it amazingly slow to set up a simple userid and password with Service Canada? Please share your experiences with a comment.