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Maternity Leave Money Planner

Can I afford my maternity leave?

See what EI pays, your monthly gap, and how much to save each month before your leave starts.

Rules as of 2026 Runs in your browser, nothing stored No sign-up
LEAVE PLANYour 12-month leaveMTWTFSS12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728$Weekly EI: $72955% of insurable earnings!Monthly gap: $1,140Covered by your savings plan✓Save $520 / monthUntil your due date
Finance Woman
Your planMaternity Leave Money PlannerCan I afford my maternity leave? · Created · thefinancewoman.com/tools/maternity-leave-planner

Your inputs

Parental benefit option
Standard pays more per week for fewer weeks.
Reduces your weeks. Leave at 0 if you take them all.
% of salary (0 if none)
Include new baby costs.
Your result

Over about 11.8 months of leave, you may be short

$20,212

Save $4,042 a month for the next 5 months to cover it.

Weekly EI, maternity
$688
Weekly EI, parental
$688
Take-home per month
$2,483
vs $4,604 now
PhaseWeeksEI per week
Waiting week (unpaid)1$0
Maternity benefits15$688
Standard parental benefits35$688
Total before tax51$34,375

Leave: Apr 22, 2027 to about Apr 13, 2028 (April 2028).

Your next 4 steps

  1. Check you qualify: usually 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks. Apply for EI as soon as you stop working.
  2. Ask HR about a top-up, how many weeks it lasts and whether you must return to work to keep it.
  3. After the birth, apply for the Canada child benefit. It can be up to $7,997 a year per child under 6, depending on family income.
  4. Keep records of your leave years. The CPP child-rearing provision can protect your pension later.

Keep your plan

Save it as a PDF on your device. We don’t store your numbers.

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How this works

We estimate your weekly EI from your salary: 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings up to $729 a week for maternity and standard parental benefits, or 33% up to $437 a week for extended parental benefits.

Your leave starts with 1 unpaid waiting week, then 15 weeks of maternity benefits, then your parental weeks. An employer top-up is added on top of EI up to the percentage you enter.

EI is taxable. We apply the tax rate you enter to estimate take-home income. Real EI uses your best weeks of earnings, so your amount may differ. Quebec uses QPIP, which this tool does not cover.

Sources

Educational estimate only. Finance Woman shares financial education, insights and general information for women in Canada. We are not a registered or licensed financial, investment, tax or legal adviser, and we do not sell or recommend financial products. Do your own research and speak to a licensed professional before you act.

Questions

How much does EI maternity leave pay in 2026?

Maternity and standard parental benefits pay 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 a week. Extended parental benefits pay 33%, up to $437 a week.

Who qualifies?

In general you need 600 hours of insurable employment in the 52 weeks before your claim, and your regular weekly earnings must drop by more than 40%. Check your situation on Canada.ca.

Can my partner share the leave?

Yes. Parents can share parental weeks. When both take some, the family gets extra weeks: 5 for standard or 8 for extended.

Does maternity leave hurt my pension?

The CPP child-rearing provision can protect your CPP benefits for years with low or no earnings while you care for a child under 7. You claim it when you apply for CPP.

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