OAS Payment Amounts (2026)
| Benefit |
Maximum Monthly |
Maximum Annual |
Eligibility |
| OAS pension (age 65) |
$751.97 |
$9,024 |
40 years residency |
| OAS pension (age 70, deferred) |
$1,022.68 |
$12,272 |
36% increase for 5-year deferral |
| OAS 75+ supplement |
Additional ~$54/mo |
~$648/yr |
Automatic at age 75 |
| GIS (single, max) |
$1,123.17 |
$13,478 |
Low income (under ~$22,800/yr) |
| GIS (couple, max per person) |
$676.09 |
$8,113 |
Combined income threshold |
| Allowance (60–64, spouse of OAS recipient) |
$1,354.69 |
$16,256 |
Low-income, spouse receives OAS |
OAS Deferral Strategy
For a full retirement-income projection that includes OAS, CPP, RRSP/RRIF, and TFSA withdrawals, use the retirement calculator.
| Start Age |
Monthly Amount |
Annual Amount |
% Increase |
Breakeven vs 65 |
| 65 |
$751.97 |
$9,024 |
Baseline |
— |
| 66 |
$806.11 |
$9,673 |
+7.1% |
Age 77.5 |
| 67 |
$860.25 |
$10,323 |
+14.2% |
Age 78.5 |
| 68 |
$914.40 |
$10,973 |
+21.3% |
Age 80 |
| 69 |
$968.54 |
$11,622 |
+28.4% |
Age 81 |
| 70 |
$1,022.68 |
$12,272 |
+36.0% |
Age 82.5 |
Each month of deferral adds 0.6% to your OAS pension. If you live past the breakeven age, deferral pays off.
When to Defer vs Start at 65
| Situation |
Recommendation |
Reason |
| Low income, need money now |
Start at 65 |
May qualify for GIS (lost if you defer) |
| Good health, expect to live past 82 |
Defer to 70 |
Higher lifetime benefits |
| High income (clawback applies) |
Defer to reduce clawback |
Less income in 65–70 phase |
| Have other retirement income |
Consider deferring |
Larger guaranteed income later |
| GIS eligible |
Start at 65 |
GIS is only available to OAS recipients |
| Spouse can support during deferral |
Defer to 70 |
Higher combined income long-term |
OAS Clawback (Recovery Tax)
| Income Level (Net Income) |
OAS Clawback Amount |
Monthly OAS After Clawback |
| Under $93,454 |
$0 |
$751.97 (full) |
| $100,000 |
~$982/yr |
$670/mo |
| $110,000 |
~$2,482/yr |
$545/mo |
| $120,000 |
~$3,982/yr |
$420/mo |
| $130,000 |
~$5,482/yr |
$295/mo |
| $140,000 |
~$6,982/yr |
$170/mo |
| ~$152,062+ |
Full clawback |
$0 |
Strategies to Minimize OAS Clawback
| Strategy |
How It Works |
Potential Savings |
| Income splitting (pension) |
Split eligible pension income with spouse |
Reduce individual income below threshold |
| TFSA withdrawals (not counted as income) |
Use TFSA instead of RRSP/RRIF |
No impact on OAS clawback |
| Defer RRSP to RRIF conversion |
Minimize RRIF withdrawals |
Lower taxable income |
| Trigger capital gains early (before 65) |
Realize gains before receiving OAS |
Avoid adding to net income |
| Spousal RRSP |
Equalize retirement income |
Both spouses below clawback |
| Corporate dividends (gross-up issue) |
Be aware: dividends are grossed up |
May trigger clawback faster |
If your drawdown plan depends heavily on registered withdrawals, review the RRIF calculator and RRSP to RRIF conversion guide.
OAS Eligibility Requirements
| Situation |
Residency Needed |
Pension Amount |
| Full OAS (lived in Canada your whole life) |
40+ years after age 18 |
100% ($751.97/mo) |
| Partial OAS (minimum eligibility) |
10 years after age 18 |
10/40 = 25% ($187.99/mo) |
| Partial OAS (20 years) |
20 years after age 18 |
20/40 = 50% ($375.99/mo) |
| Partial OAS (30 years) |
30 years after age 18 |
30/40 = 75% ($563.98/mo) |
| OAS while living abroad |
20+ years after age 18 |
Proportional to years |
| International agreement countries |
Varies |
Can combine residency periods |
How to Apply for OAS
| Step |
Action |
Timeline |
| 1 |
Check if auto-enrolled |
Service Canada may send a notification letter at age 64 |
| 2 |
If not auto-enrolled, apply |
Apply up to 11 months before you want payments to start |
| 3 |
Apply online (My Service Canada) |
Fastest method |
| 4 |
Submit supporting documents |
Proof of residency, SIN, immigration documents if needed |
| 5 |
Request deferral (if desired) |
Indicate you want to defer past 65 |
| Processing time |
— |
6–12 weeks |
OAS vs CPP Comparison
| Feature |
OAS |
CPP |
| Funding source |
General tax revenue |
Employee/employer contributions |
| Eligibility |
Residency-based (10+ years) |
Contribution-based (must have worked) |
| Maximum at 65 |
$751.97/mo |
$1,364.60/mo |
| Deferral bonus (per year) |
7.2%/year (to age 70) |
8.4%/year (to age 70) |
| Clawback |
Yes (above ~$93K income) |
No clawback |
| Taxable |
Yes |
Yes |
| Indexed to inflation |
Yes (quarterly) |
Yes (annually) |
| Available outside Canada |
Yes (with 20+ years residency) |
Yes |
| GIS add-on |
Yes (for low-income) |
N/A |
For contribution rules, disability benefits, and start-age tradeoffs on the CPP side, see the CPP guide.
All OAS & GIS Articles
OAS Guides & Calculators
GIS Guides & Calculators