When will I receive my Old Age Security benefits? OAS payment dates for 2026
If you’re close to retirement or are a pensioner trying to manage your monthly budget, it helps to know when your Old Age Security (OAS) benefits are paid out. The government publishes the payment dates and provides a wealth of information about the program, but you may still have questions. We’ll review eligibility, income limits, payment amounts, and more, so you’re fully prepared to handle your retirement finances.
What is OAS?
Old Age Security benefits are monthly payments from the federal government to eligible Canadians aged 65 and older. These payments, along with the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and personal savings, are meant to provide financial support as seniors age out of the workforce.
When you become eligible, Service Canada will automatically enroll you for the OAS pension and notify you by mail.
OAS vs. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
Although GIS is part of the OAS program, there are distinctions between the two. Like OAS, you’re automatically enrolled in GIS payments if you’re eligible; however, GIS payments aren’t considered taxable income, and only Canadian residents with a low monthly income qualify for the payments.
To qualify for this extra financial assistance, you must file personal income taxes and have a maximum income below a certain threshold (based on how you file your taxes). Your GIS payments are made on the same day as the OAS payments.
If you believe you meet the requirements for OAS or GIS but haven’t been notified, you can apply for both benefits at the same time.
OAS payment dates for 2026
The government lists all of the current (and past) year’s OAS payment dates. For 2026, OAS payments go out on:
January 28, 2026February 25, 2026March 27, 2026April 28, 2026- May 27, 2026
- June 26, 2026
- July 29, 2026
- August 27, 2026
- September 25, 2026
- October 28, 2026
- November 26, 2026
- December 22, 2026
Compare the best RRSP rates in Canada
How much are OAS payments?
The exact amount you receive depends on a few key factors: your age, your citizenship, and how long you’ve lived in the country. And, OAS payments are indexed to inflation, meaning they generally increase each year. If the cost of living decreases, don’t worry—your benefits will never decrease.
Here are the maximum amounts you could receive with OAS:
| Age | Max. monthly payment | Annual net work income requirement (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | $742.31 | Less than $148,541 |
| 75 and over | $816.54 | Less than $154,196 |
Source: Government of Canada
You’ll only receive the maximum amount if your annual income is below the threshold, and you’ve lived in Canada for at least 40 years since you turned 18. If you’ve lived in the country for at least 10 years (but less than 40), you may be eligible for a partial OAS payment, but if you’re outside of Canada when you apply, you can only get partial OAS payments if you’ve lived in Canada for at least 20 years after you turned 18.
You’ll also notice that people between the ages of 65 and 74 receive less than those aged 75 and up. This is because Canadians over age 75 receive an automatic 10% increase to their OAS payments.
The Government of Canada provides an OAS benefits calculator on its website. The tool is designed to show you when you can begin receiving benefits, the amount you’ll receive, and how your payments might change depending on your personal situation.
OAS eligibility requirements
Whether or not you’re eligible for OAS also depends on the same factors that will ultimately determine how much you receive. To be eligible for OAS, you must:
- Be at least 65 years old
- Be a Canadian citizen or legal resident
OAS also has residency requirements. If you’re living in Canada when you apply, you must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since you turned 18. If you’re living outside of Canada, you must have lived in Canada for at least 20 years since you turned 18.
Your employment history doesn’t affect your eligibility. You can receive OAS even if you are still working or have never worked.
Learn more: OAS entitlement and deferral rules for immigrants to Canada
Should you delay your OAS?
You may be wondering if you should delay your OAS start date after your 65th birthday. The answer will depend on your life and health circumstances, your retirement plans, whether you intend to continue working, and, if so, what your income will be.
By waiting to take your OAS payments, you’ll receive a higher monthly payout since monthly payments increase by 0.6% each month you delay (up until age 70).
| Age | Increase (%) | How much you could get for your OAS pension (Jan. to March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | N/A | $742.31 |
| 66 | 12 months x 0.6% = 7.2% | $795.76 |
| 67 | 24 months x 0.6% = 14.4% | $849.20 |
| 68 | 36 months x 0.6% = 21.6% | $902.64 |
| 69 | 48 months x 0.6% = 28.8% | $956.10 |
| 70 | 60 months x 0.6% = 36% | $1,009.54 |
Source: Government of Canada
If you’re not relying on the OAS income because you’re still working, you might decide you’d like to put off the payments and receive a higher amount when you retire. Before making any decisions about when to start taking OAS, consult a financial advisor.
OAS clawbacks
If you’re receiving OAS benefits, but your net income exceeds the income threshold for the year, you might have to repay some or all of your OAS benefits under the pension recovery tax. Whether you will have to repay, and how much, depends on your “net world income” in a given year and the minimum recovery tax threshold for that year.
Each year also has a maximum recovery tax threshold; at that point, the entire OAS amount will be clawed back.
| Recovery tax period | Income year | Min. income recovery threshold | Max. income recovery threshold (Ages 65-74) | Max. income recovery threshold (Ages 75+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 to June 2026 | 2024 | $90,997 | $148,451 | $154,196 |
| July 2026 to June 2027 | 2025 | $93,454 | $152,062 | $157,923 |
| July 2027 to June 2028 | 2026 | $95,323 | $154,708 | $160,647 |
To avoid having your benefits clawed back, consider using these strategies:
- Use a tax-free savings account during your income-earning years.
- Split your pension income with your spouse, who has a lower marginal tax rate.
- Base your registered retirement income fund withdrawals on the younger spouse’s age.
- Invest strategically to reduce your taxable income, so it’s below the maximum income threshold for the year.
- Request a reduction in your clawback amount by filing Form T1213.
- Defer your OAS payments until you’re over 70, by which time inflation will cause the OAS income threshold to rise.
- Sell your stocks the year before you collect OAS since capital gains count as income.
- Maximize deductions against your personal income to reduce your taxable income for the year.
Learn more: Planning for retirement with little or no savings to draw on
FAQs
The amount you’ll receive depends on your age, how long you’ve lived in Canada, and your income. To give you an idea of how much you might get, use the OAS Benefits Estimator on the government website.
If you’re between the ages of 65 and 74, you cannot make more than $148,451 if you’re hoping to receive OAS payments. Note that the limit may change when the government next adjusts income thresholds and payment amounts.
Yes, because prices in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) trended up, OAS benefits increased by 0.3% in Quarter 1 of 2026. This marks a 2% increase in benefits over the past year.
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More about retirement:
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- Single, no pension? Here’s how to plan for retirement in Canada
- What happens when you can’t manage your investments anymore?
- Can you help your kids financially without compromising your retirement?
- Can you delay a RRIF withdrawal?
- RRSP to RRIF, and LIRA to LIF: How it all gets done
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