Receiving your pension

On this page

• Your payments
• Taxes
• Contact us if your situation changes
• Leaving or returning to Canada
• When someone dies

Your payments

You will receive your first Old Age Security (OAS) payment:

• The month after you turn 65 or on the specific date you chose

By Direct deposit: You can choose to receive your pension payments by mail or by direct deposit in your bank account in Canada, the United States or other participating countries. You can sign up for direct deposit at any time.

By Cheque: If you didn't choose direct deposit, a cheque will be mailed to you during the last 3 business days of each month.

Payment dates

If you are eligible to receive the OAS, you will receive a payment every month.

View payment dates for direct deposit.

Cancel or delay your payments

Steps for cancelling or delaying your OAS pension:

• Submit: Submit your request in writing within 6 months of receiving your first payment
• Repay: Repay any benefits within the next 6 months - if your request is approved
• Reapply: You may reapply later and may receive a higher pension

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
• 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

Taxes

Taxes are not automatically deducted. If you choose not to ask for monthly tax deductions, you may have to pay your income tax when you file your tax return.

Learn how to manage your taxes to:

• Get federal tax taken off your payments each month or change your tax deduction amount
• Access your tax slips

Contact us if your situation changes

You must contact us in the following cases:

• You change your address or phone number
• You get married
• You enter into a common-law union
• You divorce or separate
• Your spouse or common-law partner dies
• A beneficiary dies
• Your income changes

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 reassessment in July of the following year. This reassessment affects your Old Age Security (OAS) and, if applicable, your Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and your spouse’s or common-law’s partner's Allowance.

Call 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, 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.

Leaving or returning to Canada

Your Old Age Security (and Guaranteed Income Supplement) may stop if you're away for more than 6 months and don't qualify for receiving your payments while outside Canada.

• Before you leave Canada for more than 6 months
• Call us to let us know (This helps prevent overpayments that you may have to repay later.)
• When you return to Canada after more than 6 months away
• Call us to restart your payments

We compare information with the Canada Border Service Agency. You could be fined for giving false or misleading information, or purposely omittiting information.

When someone dies

If you're reading this following the loss of a loved one, please accept our condolences.

When someone dies, please inform us as soon as possible 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
• Death benefit
• CPP survivor's pension
• CPP children's benefit (surviving child)