Your application

You need to do the following:

Step 1: Determine if you need to apply

We may send you a letter to let you know that you will receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

You will need to apply for the Guaranteed Income Supplement if:

• you get a letter from us asking you to apply
• the information in the letter we send you is incorrect
• you are already receiving an Old Age Security pension and have never received the Guaranteed Income Supplement

If you did not receive any letter about the Guaranteed Income Supplement the month after you turned 64, contact us to find out if you need to apply.

Step 2: Gather your information

Before you begin, please ensure you have:

• your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• information about your spouse or common-law partner if you have one (Social Insurance Number, date of birth)
• information about the countries where you have lived since age 18
• your banking information to sign up for direct deposit
• the date you would like your payments to start
• your reduction in employment or pension income, if applicable

How to determine your income

When applying for the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance, you, or in the case of a couple you and your spouse or common-law partner, must report your income and deductions.

Do not include Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Allowance, or Allowance for the Survivor payments as income.

What you must include as income

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) benefits
• Other pension income, such as private pensions, superannuation and foreign pension income
• Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) that you cashed during the year
• Employment Insurance benefits
• Interest and other investment income
• Capital gains and taxable Canadian dividends
• Net income from any rental properties
• Net employment or self-employment income
• Other income from sources such as workers' compensation payments and alimony

What is exempted as income

• Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor payments
• If you are employed or self-employed and receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, you can earn up to $5,000 and still receive the full benefit amount. For earnings between $5,000 and $15,000, your Guaranteed Income Supplement will be reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income you receive
• Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan contributions and your Employment Insurance premiums
• Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan contributions and your Employment Insurance premiums of net self-employment income
• Deductions, such as union dues, RRSP deduction, moving expenses and other employment expenses

Step 3: Submit your application

Decide how to apply:

Apply online for GIS

To apply online, you must:

• be at least 1 month past your 64th birthday
• not have a legal representative on your account

If you are applying online, you’ll need a My Service Canada Account (MSCA).

If you don’t have a My Service Canada Account (MSCA), you can register for one. You’ll receive a personal access code to complete your registration.

Apply or register through My Service Canada Account

Apply using a paper application

If you are applying for both the Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement

• Complete the form included with your letter or download a new Application for the Old Age Security Pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (ISP-3550)
• Include certified true copies of the required documents
• Mail the application to Service Canada or bring it in person to a Service Canada office

See the Reference Guide (ISP-3550A) for information on filling in your application form.

If you are applying for just the Guaranteed Income Supplement

• Complete the form included with your letter or download a new Application for the Guaranteed Income Supplement or Statement of Income (ISP-3025)
• Include certified true copies of the required documents
• Mail the application to Service Canada or bring it in person to a Service Canada office

If someone is helping you with your application

You must provide consent for someone to help you with your application. You can do this 2 ways:

1. through your My Service Canada Account

or

2. complete the Consent to Communicate Information to an Authorized Person form (ISP-1603) and mail it to us, or drop it off at a Service Canada office

This does not give the person helping you authority to:

• submit your application
• apply for benefits on your behalf
• change your payment address
• request or change the withholding of tax for you

If you need to apply or act on someone’s behalf

If someone cannot manage their own affairs, another person or agency may act on their behalf.

To apply to administer benefits on someone’s behalf you need to:

• have a medical professional complete the Certificate of Incapability form (ISP-3505)
• complete one of the following forms that applies to you:
  • Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by a Private Trustee form (for administration by an individual)
  • Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by an Agency or Institution form (for administration by an agency, charitable organization or municipality)

You will need to mail it to us, or drop it off at a Service Canada office.

These forms do not give the person applying on someone’s behalf authority to submit an application through My Service Canada Account (MSCA). You must submit a paper application.

Protecting your information

Learn how we protect your privacy.

Step 4: Receive a response from us

We will mail you a letter with either:

• a decision on your application
• a request for more information

Your decision letter

Your letter with a decision will include:

• the amount you will receive each month
• the date of your first payment
• any past payments that may be owed to you

Step 5: Review your application status

To view your application status, you can:

• sign in to My Service Canada Account (MSCA)
• contact Service Canada

If you don’t have an MSCA account, you can register for one.

Step 6: If you disagree with the decision

If you disagree with the decision, you may ask to have the decision reviewed. You must request a reconsideration in writing within 90 days of receiving your decision letter.

A review of you application will be made by Service Canada staff who were not involved in the original decision on your application.

More information on how to request a review of the decision:

1. complete and submit the Request for Reconsideration of an Old Age Security Decision form (ISP3134)

or

2. prepare your written request for a reconsideration and include:
   • your name, address, telephone number and Social Insurance Number
   • a detailed explanation of why you want us to review your request again
   • any new information that could affect our decision

Sign and date your written request and send it by mail to the return address on our decision letter.

Reconsiderations can take several months to complete, depending on the case. We will review your application and send you a letter that explains our final decision.

If you disagree with the reconsideration

If you disagree with the new decision, the next step is to contact the Social Security Tribunal to appeal.

If you would like a representative to help you communicate with the Social Security Tribunal about your appeal, you will need to:

• complete section 9 of the Notice of Appeal – Income Security – General Division form, or
• call the Social Security Tribunal and provide your representative’s information.

You must contact the Social Security Tribunal directly to change or cancel your representative.

Note: If you would like your representative to communicate with both Service Canada and the Social Security Tribunal, fill out section 9 of the Notice of Appeal form and complete the Consent to Communicate Information to an Authorized Person form for Service Canada.