How much is OAS per month in 2026?

How much is OAS per month at 65 and at 75?

The maximum Old Age Security pension depends mainly on your age band. For the October to December 2026 quarter, Service Canada lists the monthly maximum as $762.50 for people aged 65 to 74 and $838.75 for people aged 75 and over. The higher figure reflects the permanent 10% increase for older seniors that began in July 2022.

These are ceilings, not guarantees. Service Canada states that your actual pension can differ with your age, your income and the number of years you lived in Canada. The sections below show how each of those moves your number.

Partial OAS: years in Canada divided by 40

A full pension requires 40 years of residence in Canada after your 18th birthday. With fewer years, the pension is prorated: your years in Canada after 18, divided by 40, times the full amount. You need at least 10 years to qualify while living in Canada, or 20 years if you live abroad.

Once your pension starts, extra years spent in Canada do not raise it. For people with fewer than 40 years, delaying the start date can therefore help twice: each month of delay can add residence time as well as the 0.6% monthly deferral increase.

Why is my OAS less than the maximum?

If your deposit is below $762.50, one of these is usually the reason. The first two change the pension itself; the rest are deductions taken before the money reaches your account.

• Partial pension: fewer than 40 years of Canadian residence after 18.
• Recovery tax: your 2025 net world income was over $93,454, so part of each payment is withheld from July 2026 to June 2027.
• Voluntary tax withholding: you asked Service Canada to deduct income tax each month. Tax is not taken off automatically unless you request it.
• Non-resident tax: people living outside Canada usually have non-resident tax deducted.
• Overpayment recovery: an earlier overpayment is being taken back in instalments.

Your T4A(OAS) slip each winter shows the gross pension, any tax deducted and any recovery tax in box 22. Comparing it with your monthly deposits usually pinpoints the difference. The OAS clawback page walks through the recovery tax numbers.

Income cut-offs for the OAS pension

OAS is not means-tested at the low end, so a person with no income still receives the full pension if they meet the residence rule. It is reduced only at high incomes. For payments from July 2026 to June 2027, the reduction starts once 2025 net world income passes $93,454 and removes the whole pension at $152,062 for ages 65 to 74, or $157,923 for 75 and over.

The upper limit is higher for older seniors simply because their pension is larger, so it takes more income for the 15% repayment to use it up.

OAS payment rates for this quarter and the next

Service Canada raised OAS benefits by 1.4% for October to December 2026 and has posted the official table: $762.50 a month for ages 65 to 74 and $838.75 for 75 and over, up from $751.97 and $827.17 in July to September. The Guaranteed Income Supplement for a single senior rose to $1,138.90.

The January to March 2027 rates are not yet announced. The OAS increase page explains the CPI test behind each quarterly change, and the OAS payment dates page shows when the first higher deposit arrives, on October 28.

Combined OAS and GIS: the most a single senior can receive

Low-income seniors can get the Guaranteed Income Supplement on top of OAS, in the same deposit. A single person aged 65 to 74 with no other income could receive up to $762.50 in OAS plus up to $1,138.90 in GIS, for a combined maximum of $1,901.40 a month in October to December 2026.

The GIS maximum is the same at 75 because the 10% increase applies only to the OAS pension. GIS falls as other income rises; for a single person it is paid only when annual income is below $23,112. The GIS amount page covers the couple rates. People aged 60 to 64 who have lost a spouse may qualify for the Allowance for the Survivor instead, which pays up to $1,726.18.

How to check your own OAS amount

1. Sign in to My Service Canada Account and open the Old Age Security section to see your current monthly amount and payment history.
2. Use the Old Age Security Benefits Estimator on canada.ca to test different start ages and income levels.
3. Check your enrolment or decision letter for the number of residence years Service Canada used.
4. If the residence years look wrong, gather proof of where you lived since 18 and contact Service Canada to ask for a review.

Deposits rise automatically at 75. The OAS at 75 page explains the timing of that change.