OAS Payment Dates 2026: Your Complete Pension Guide

By Mikeal Janifa, Personal Finance Writer at The Finance Guys · Published June 16, 2026 · Last updated June 16, 2026

Looking for the OAS payment dates for 2026? Old Age Security is paid monthly, usually on one of the last three business days of the month, and the next payment lands on June 26, 2026. Below is the full 2026 schedule, how much you can receive this year, who qualifies, and what to do if a payment is late — all in one place.

Quick answer: OAS is paid once a month. In 2026 the OAS payment dates are January 28, February 25, March 27, April 28, May 27, June 26, July 29, August 27, September 25, October 28, November 26, and December 22. Payments arrive by direct deposit, usually within one to two business days.

OAS Payment Dates 2026

Here are all 12 OAS payment dates for 2026. Service Canada issues Old Age Security near the end of each month — generally on the third-to-last business day — and the deposit moves earlier when that day lands on a weekend or statutory holiday.

If you have set up direct deposit with Service Canada, the money typically appears in your account within one to two business days of the issue date. A mailed cheque can take one to two weeks longer, which is one reason direct deposit is worth setting up. The December OAS payment date is the earliest of the year — December 22 — so the deposit clears before the holidays and year-end bank closures.

What’s New for OAS in 2026

Unlike some benefits that change once a year, Old Age Security is reviewed four times a year — in January, April, July, and October — and adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. That means your monthly amount can step up at any of those quarterly reviews if the cost of living rises; it never drops, even if prices fall. The OAS payment dates themselves stay on the end-of-month schedule above all year long.

For 2026 the practical takeaways are simple: payments keep their quarterly inflation protection, the eligibility age remains 65, and the 10% top-up for seniors aged 75 and over continues. If your income changed last year, your recovery tax (more on that below) is recalculated for the July 2026 to June 2027 period, so a one-time spike in 2025 income could affect what you keep starting in July.

When Is the Next OAS Payment?

As of mid-June 2026, the next OAS payment is June 26, 2026. After that, the OAS payment dates continue on the schedule above — July 29, August 27, September 25, and so on. Because Old Age Security is monthly, you can count on roughly one deposit every four to five weeks.

A quick tip: bookmark this page or add the OAS payment dates to your phone calendar. Lining the deposit up with your rent or mortgage, utilities, and grocery cycle makes the monthly budget far easier to plan — especially if OAS is combined with CPP and the Guaranteed Income Supplement in the same deposit.

Because Old Age Security arrives near the end of the month rather than at the start, many retirees find it pairs naturally with bills due on the 1st: the late-month deposit gives you a few days of lead time to cover rent, mortgage, or insurance payments at the turn of the month. If your CPP and OAS are combined, that single end-of-month deposit becomes the anchor of your budget — which is exactly why knowing the OAS payment dates in advance is worth the two minutes it takes to add them to a calendar.

How Much Is OAS in 2026?

Old Age Security is a monthly pension, and the maximum depends on your age and how long you have lived in Canada. For the April to June 2026 quarter, the Service Canada maximums are:

The higher figure for seniors 75 and over reflects the permanent 10% increase that began in July 2022. These maximums are not fixed for the year — because OAS is indexed quarterly, the figures are reviewed again for the July and October 2026 payments and can rise with inflation. To receive the full amount you generally need 40 years of residence in Canada after age 18; with fewer years you receive a partial, pro-rated pension.

The OAS Recovery Tax (Clawback)

Higher-income seniors may have to repay part or all of their OAS through the OAS Recovery Tax, often called the clawback. For the recovery period running July 2026 to June 2027, the clawback starts once your net annual income passes roughly $90,997 (this minimum threshold is indexed each year). Above that line you repay 15 cents of OAS for every dollar of income over the threshold.

The repayment is complete — meaning your entire OAS is clawed back — once income reaches the upper limit, which is higher for those 75 and over because their pension is larger. Most retirees living mainly on CPP, OAS, and modest savings never reach the threshold and keep their full pension. If you are close to the line, strategies such as pension income splitting or drawing from a TFSA (which is not counted as income) can help you keep more of your OAS while the payment dates stay exactly the same.

Who Is Eligible for OAS?

To receive Old Age Security, you generally must meet all of the following:

• You are 65 years of age or older.
• You are a Canadian citizen or legal resident when your application is approved.
• You have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18 (to receive OAS while living in Canada).
• If you live outside Canada, you generally need at least 20 years of Canadian residence after age 18.

Unlike CPP, OAS is not based on your work history — you can qualify even if you never paid into the Canada Pension Plan, because it is funded from general tax revenue rather than payroll contributions. The number of years you lived in Canada decides whether you get the full or a partial pension, and your income decides whether any of it is clawed back.

How to Apply for OAS

Many Canadians are automatically enrolled in Old Age Security. Service Canada uses its records to identify people who qualify and mails them a notification letter the month after they turn 64. If you receive that letter, you may not need to do anything except confirm your details and your direct-deposit information.

If you are not automatically enrolled, you will need to apply — ideally about six months before you want your first payment. There are two common ways:

1. Online — through your My Service Canada Account, which is the fastest route.
2. By mail — complete the Application for the Old Age Security Pension (form ISP-3550) and send it to Service Canada.

After you apply, Service Canada confirms eligibility and your first payment follows on the next scheduled OAS payment date. Setting up direct deposit in your My Service Canada Account means every future payment arrives on the dates above without waiting on a mailed cheque.

GIS and the Allowance Add-Ons

Old Age Security comes with two income-tested supplements that are paid on the same OAS payment dates, in the same deposit, so there is nothing extra to track:

• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) — an extra monthly, tax-free top-up for low-income OAS recipients. It is added automatically once you qualify, based on your tax return, and can add several hundred dollars a month.
• The Allowance — for low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64 whose spouse or common-law partner receives the GIS, with a related Allowance for the Survivor for those who have lost a partner.

Because the GIS is income-tested, filing your tax return on time every year is essential — the supplement is recalculated each July, and a missed return can pause it. If you receive GIS, the combined deposit on each OAS payment date may be noticeably larger than the base OAS figures shown earlier.

Deferring OAS to Boost Your Pension

You do not have to start OAS at 65. You can defer it for up to five years, to age 70, and your pension grows by 0.6% for every month you wait — that is 7.2% per year, or a permanent 36% increase if you delay all the way to 70. The payment dates are identical whenever you start; only the amount changes.

Here is a simple example. A senior entitled to the maximum at 65 who instead waits until 70 locks in roughly a third more each month for the rest of their life — a meaningful difference over a 20- or 30-year retirement. The trade-off is that you give up five years of payments while you wait, so the math favours deferral mainly for those in good health with other income to bridge the gap. There is no single right answer; it depends on your savings, your health, and whether you are still earning.

Deferring makes the most sense if you are still working, expect to live a long time, or want to reduce the chance of a clawback while you have other income. There is no benefit to deferring past 70, and you cannot receive OAS and defer at the same time, so the decision is really about when to switch it on. For many Canadians, starting at 65 is the right call; for others with longevity in the family, waiting can mean a meaningfully larger cheque for life.

Why Your OAS Payment Date or Amount Can Change

A few normal things can shift your OAS payment dates or the amount you see:

• Weekends and holidays. When the usual issue day is a weekend or statutory holiday, Service Canada pays earlier — that is why December 2026 lands on the 22nd.
• Quarterly indexing. OAS is reviewed in January, April, July, and October, so your monthly amount can step up with inflation during the year.
• Turning 75. Your OAS rises by 10% the month after your 75th birthday.
• Income changes. A higher income year can trigger or increase the recovery tax; a lower one can restore your full pension.

If you also receive CPP, both pensions are paid on the same date each month, often in a single combined deposit. Our guide to Canada FED deposit dates explains the other federal payments you may see during the year, and the GST/HST credit payment dates guide covers the quarterly tax credit many seniors also receive.

What to Do If Your OAS Payment Is Late

Payments are reliable, but if a deposit does not arrive on the scheduled OAS payment date, Service Canada asks that you wait five business days before contacting them — bank processing can add a short delay. If it has been longer:

• Check your My Service Canada Account to confirm the payment was issued and your direct-deposit details are current.
• Make sure your address and banking information are up to date, especially if you recently moved or changed accounts.
• Call the Service Canada pensions line if the payment was issued but never reached your account.

Most “missing” payments come down to outdated banking details or an address change that was never reported — both are quick to fix in My Service Canada Account, and the next OAS payment date then proceeds normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the OAS payment dates for 2026?

The 2026 OAS payment dates are January 28, February 25, March 27, April 28, May 27, June 26, July 29, August 27, September 25, October 28, November 26, and December 22. Most fall on the third-to-last business day of the month, with December moved earlier for the holidays.

What day does OAS get deposited each month?

Old Age Security is paid near the end of the month, generally on the third-to-last business day. When that day is a weekend or statutory holiday, Service Canada issues the payment earlier so it is not delayed.

Are OAS and CPP paid on the same date?

Yes. CPP and OAS are paid on the same date each month and are often combined into a single direct deposit, so you see one payment that covers both pensions.

How much is OAS per month in 2026?

For the April to June 2026 quarter, the maximum is $742.31 per month for ages 65 to 74 and $816.54 per month for ages 75 and over. The amounts are reviewed quarterly and can rise with inflation; partial pensions apply if you have fewer than 40 years of Canadian residence.

Is OAS taxable income?

Yes. Unlike the GST/HST credit or the Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security is taxable and must be reported on your tax return. High earners may also repay part of it through the OAS recovery tax.

What is the OAS clawback threshold for 2026?

For July 2026 to June 2027, the recovery tax begins once net income passes roughly $90,997. Above that, 15 cents of OAS is repaid for every dollar of income over the threshold, and the full pension is recovered at the upper limit.

Do I have to apply for OAS or is it automatic?

Many people are automatically enrolled and receive a letter from Service Canada the month after turning 64. If you do not get that letter, apply online through My Service Canada Account or by mail, ideally about six months before you want payments to start.

Can I get OAS if I never worked in Canada?

Yes. OAS is based on residence, not employment, so you can qualify even if you never paid into CPP. You generally need at least 10 years of residence in Canada after age 18 to receive it while living here.

How do I get my OAS payments faster?

Set up direct deposit in My Service Canada Account. Direct deposit lands within one to two business days of the issue date, while a mailed cheque can take one to two weeks longer.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 OAS payment dates are easy to plan around: near the end of each month, with December 22 as the early holiday exception. Keep your banking details current with Service Canada, file your tax return each year so any GIS top-up keeps flowing, and decide whether starting at 65 or deferring toward 70 fits your situation. Bookmark this page so the next OAS payment date is always one click away — and if you are weighing your wider retirement picture, our ODSP payment dates and CCB payment dates guides round out the other benefit cheques on the Canadian calendar.

About the Author

For information only; not financial or tax advice. OAS payment dates, amounts, and eligibility rules are set by Service Canada and can change — always confirm with the official Old Age Security and OAS payment amounts pages.