The Old Age Security (OAS) program is a government pension plan that provides monthly financial support to eligible seniors in Canada. It’s important to understand OAS payment dates and the amounts you may receive to help you effectively manage your budget. This can help you ensure that you know when payments are coming in and whether you’ll have enough to cover your regular bills.
Key Points About Old Age Security (OAS) Payments
| OAS Payment Dates | Payments are made once a month, usually within the last week of each month |
| When Can OAS Payments Start? | The earliest date OAS payments can start is when you turn 65 years |
| OAS Maximum Payment | Age 65–74: $727.67 Age 75+: $800.44 |
OAS Payment Dates
OAS payment dates change every year, but are typically made in the last week of each month. When payment dates fall on a weekend or holiday, payments will typically be made on the last business day before. It’s also helpful to know that OAS payment dates coincide with Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payment dates.
For 2025, the OAS payment dates are as follows:
- Wednesday, January 29, 2025
- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
- Thursday, March 27, 2025
- Monday, April 28, 2025
- Wednesday, May 28, 2025
- Thursday, June 26, 2025
- Tuesday, July 29, 2025
- Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Thursday, September 25, 2025
- Wednesday, October 29, 2025
- Wednesday, November 26, 2025
- Monday, December 22, 2025
Learn more: How Does Old Age Security (OAS) Pension Work?
How Will You Receive Your OAS Payment?
You can receive your OAS payments either by cheque or direct deposit to your bank account. If you don’t already have direct deposit, you’ll need to register for it first before receiving OAS payments this way.
Learn more: How To Apply For Old Age Security (OAS)
When Can OAS Payments Start?
OAS payments can start as early as when you turn 65 years of age.
However, you can also choose to push the payments out until you’re a little older to increase your monthly benefit amount. In this case, you can defer OAS payments for up to five years, until you turn 70, in exchange for a higher monthly benefit. The longer you wait to start collecting OAS, the higher your monthly pension payment will be.
Deferring your OAS payments allows you to increase your monthly payment by 0.6% per month (or 7.2% per year), up to a maximum of 36% increase at age 70.
Once you’re over the age of 70, there is no benefit in waiting to collect your first OAS payment. You may even be at risk of losing benefits. So, if you have not yet started collecting OAS by the time you reach 70 years, you should apply right away.
How Much Can You Get?
From January to March 2025, the maximum OAS payment amounts are as follows:
| Age | Maximum Amount Per Month | Maximum Net World Income To Receive OAS |
| 65–74 | $727.67 | Less than $148,451 |
| 75+ | $800.44 | Less than $154,196 |
Factors That Affect Your OAS Payment Amounts
The amount you can collect in OAS payments each month depends on certain factors, including the following:
- Age. The age when you start receiving your OAS pension impacts the amount you’re paid. You can start receiving OAS when you turn 65, but if you delay it, you can increase your monthly payment amounts until age 70.
- Income. If you earn an annual income over a certain threshold, you may not be eligible for OAS pension. Further, your income level over a certain amount will subject you to the OAS Clawback, which gradually reduces your OAS payment.
- Years Of Residency In Canada. The length of time that you’ve lived in Canada after the age of 18 impacts how much you receive in OAS pension. If you’ve lived in Canada for less than 40 years, you may only get a partial OAS payment.
- Cost Of Living. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the cost of living in Canada, and affects the amount of OAS you receive.
You can estimate how much you may be eligible to receive by using an OAS payment calculator on the Canada.ca website.
How To Get The Maximum Amount?
To maximize your OAS payments in Canada, consider the following.
Delay Your OAS Payments Until You Turn 70
While you can start collecting OAS when you turn 65, you can increase your monthly payments by delaying it. More specifically, OAS payments increase by 0.6% per month (7.2% per year) until you turn 70. That means you could receive 36% more every month if you delay your payments compared to starting at 65.
Monthly OAS payments automatically increase when you turn 75. Once you turn 75, your payments will increase to a maximum of $800.44, compared to a maximum of $727.67 per month for those between the ages of 65 to 74.
Stay Under The Income Threshold
If your income is over $90,997 (for 2024 income), your OAS is subject to the OAS Clawback, or the recovery tax, which reduces your OAS payment amounts. To prevent this, consider the following:
- Split your income with your spouse (if applicable) when you file your income taxes
- Withdrawing RRSP funds before you start collecting OAS
- Withdraw from your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) so it doesn’t add to your taxable income
Keep Tabs On Inflation Adjustments
Adjustments to OAS payments are made every three months and are based on inflation and the CPI. Keeping track of these changes to make sure you’re getting the right amount.
Apply For Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) If You’re Eligible
You may be eligible for GIS payments if your income is below a certain level. If you qualify for GIS, you can receive additional monthly payments in addition to OAS.
What Is Partial Old Age Security?
As mentioned, if you’ve resided in Canada for less than 40 years, you may not be eligible for a full OAS pension. In this case, you may only be eligible for a partial OAS payment. This is calculated based on the number of years you’ve lived in Canada.
Further, if you currently live outside of Canada, you must meet the 20-year residency requirement to continue receiving OAS payment.
Do Payment Amounts Adjust For Inflation?
Yes, OAS payments are adjusted for inflation to accommodate for the rise in the cost of living. These adjustments are measured and determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and are reviewed three times a year in January, April, July and October. If the CPI increases, OAS payments increase accordingly. If the CPI decreases, OAS payments will remain the same.
Can You Get Retroactive Payments?
If you’re over the age of 65 and have not yet started receiving OAS payments, you may be able to receive retroactive payments for up to 11 months after Service Canada receives your application. However, if you choose to defer receiving your OAS pension after the age of 65, you won’t be eligible for retroactive payments during the deferral period.
To apply for retroactive OAS payments, you can complete and submit the application form (ISP-3000) and submit it to Service Canada.
Bottom Line
Staying informed about your finances and planning ahead for retirement can help you maximize benefits like OAS and prevent unfortunate financial stresses. In particular, you should get familiar with OAS eligibility, tax implications, and the OAS clawback to help you make better decisions. By being proactive with your retirement planning, you can enjoy more financially comfortable retirement living.
