Receiving your pension
You will receive your first Old Age Security (OAS) payment the month after you turn 65 or on the specific date on your decision letter. You will receive a payment every month if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
Sign in to My Service Canada (MSCA) or create an account to:
- View your monthly payment amount
- Update your banking and direct deposit information
- Request or change tax deductions from your OAS payments
- Download your tax slips
- Update your contact information and marital status
- Report your income
To update direct deposit and contact information in MSCA
You must first call 1-800-277-9914 to enable this feature in MSCA. You only need to do this once.
Receive your payments
Direct deposit
Direct deposit is the fastest, easiest, and most secure way to receive your payments. Sign up for direct deposit.
View the direct deposit payment dates.
Payment by cheque
Cheques will be mailed the last 3 business days of each month. To avoid any payment delays, sign up for direct deposit.
When your monthly amount may increase
Your monthly payment will increase every January, April, July, and October if the cost of living goes up. This increase is based on the Consumer Price Index. If your cost of living goes down, your payments will not decrease.
Receiving your payments while living outside Canada
You can receive OAS payments while living abroad if:
-
You lived in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18: Option 1
-
You lived and worked in a country with a social security agreement with Canada, and your combined time in both countries is at least 20 years: Option 2
Tax deductions and tax slips
Learn how to manage your taxes and access your tax slips to:
- Request or change tax deductions from your OAS payments
- Download your tax slips
Why request monthly tax deductions from your payments
If you live in Canada, taxes are not automatically taken off your monthly OAS payments. To avoid owing taxes when you file your income tax return, you can request monthly tax deductions.
If you live outside Canada
Non-resident tax may be deducted from your OAS payments. The rate depends on the country where you live. Check the Non-Resident Tax Rates by Country list to find the rate that applies to you.
File taxes by the deadline to avoid payment delays
You must file your taxes by April 30 every year to avoid any disruption of payments.
Annual review of your Old Age Security
Each year, your OAS is reviewed using your federal tax return.
- In July, you'll get a letter stating if:
- Your OAS is renewed (with the new amount)
- Your benefit is stopped
- Your benefit will start/resume
- More income information is needed
What to do if you did not receive your payment in July
Call us as soon as possible. Be prepared to provide:
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Your income information from last year
- Your spouse or common-law partner's income from last year, if applicable
Keep your information up to date
Tell us as soon as possible if there are any changes to your:
- Contact information
- Income
- Marital status
Keeping this information current helps avoid payment issues, such as missed payments, overpayments, or underpayments.
If your income changes
If you have an increase or decrease in income, and if you have completed your tax return, there will be an automatic review in July of the following year. This review affects your Old Age Security (OAS) and, if applicable, your Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and your spouse or common-law partner's Allowance.
Contact us if your income increases or decreases significantly.
If you live outside Canada and need to update your information
If you live outside Canada, you can view your information online in MSCA, but must contact us to update your address or banking details.
If you are in a federal prison for 2 years or more
Old Age Security stops during a federal sentence of 2 years or more. You must contact us in writing to notify us of your release. Your payments will start again the same month you are released.
If you leave and return to Canada
Your Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments may stop if you're outside of Canada for more than 6 months and don't qualify for receiving your payments while abroad.
If you're leaving Canada for more than 6 months
Contact us before you leave. This can help prevent overpayments that you may have to repay later.
If you're returning to Canada after being away more than 6 months
Contact us when you return to restart your payments.
Important to provide accurate information
We compare information with the Canada Border Service Agency. You could be fined for giving false or misleading information or purposely omitting information.
How to stop OAS benefits
Cancel your OAS after it starts
You can cancel or delay your pension within 6 months of receiving your first payment. To submit a request, write a letter and send it by mail .
What to include in your letter:
- Full name
- Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Date of birth
- Mailing address and telephone number
- A clear statement that you wish to cancel your OAS pension
- The date your OAS payments began (if known)
- Your signature and the date
When someone dies
Notify us as soon as possible when someone dies to avoid overpayment.
Find out how to cancel Old Age Security on behalf of a deceased person.
The estate and survivors may be eligible for other benefits, such as:
- Allowance for the survivor: A monthly payment for the surviving spouse aged 60 to 64 with low income
- Death benefit: A one-time payment on behalf of the deceased contributor
- Survivor's pension: A monthly payment to the surviving spouse or common-law partner
- CPP children's benefit: A monthly benefit for a dependent child of a deceased CPP contributor
Contact us
Need help? Contact us if:
- your contact information, income or marital status changes
- someone receiving benefits dies
- you're leaving Canada for more than 6 months
If someone is helping you communicate with Service Canada
You can authorize someone to communicate with Service Canada on your behalf by signing in to your My Service Canada Account and selecting the "Give consent to communicate on my behalf" link.
This does not give someone consent to:
- apply for benefits on your behalf
- change your payment address
- request or change the withholding of tax