In welcoming your early 60s, you are in a relationship or marriage which is receiving the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), or, you are widowed and did not remarry, you might have learned about the OAS Allowance. It is a hidden advantage that works miracles to low-income individuals between 60 and 64 years old, as it will at least sustain them until they reach 65 and qualify as OAS members themselves.
What Is the OAS Allowance?
The OAS Allowance is a non-taxable and monthly allowance offered by the federal government to help low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64 who are married to or who live with someone receiving OAS and GIS. There exists also the Allowance of the Survivor that assists widows or widowers of the same age whose level of income is low, who never remarried, or got into another relationship of common law.
The two fall under the umbrella Old Age Security program that incorporates: OAS pension and GIS all geared towards ensuring the elderly (and near elderly) can afford basics such as rent, food or even healthcare bills.
Consider the Allowance as an enabling hand to the couple or the widowed individuals who are just shy enough to qualify OAS but require help at this moment. It is not a reflection of your work history or contributions, as is the case with the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and is financed through general tax revenues.
Income (or joint income with your partner) should be less than a certain limit, and you should have special requirements of residency and marital status. The Allowance ceases at the age of 65 because at that age you are probably eligible to receive OAS and GIS but it is a lifeline before your 65th birthday.
Payment Dates for 2026
When will you be receiving that Allowance payment? – that is a question to begin with. The OAS Allowance (also known as the Allowance of the Survivor) has the same payday arrangement as OAS and GIS, appearing in your bank account on the third-to-last business day of every month provided you are enrolled in the program of direct deposit. On January 2026 you will receive payment on January 28, 2026.
The answer to this is direct deposit, which is convenient because it is fast and secure and saves you the inconvenience of waiting to receive the cheque that may take days or even weeks to come about, due to a hiccup in the system.
Here’s the full payment schedule for the rest of 2026, so you can plan your budget:
| Month | Payment Date |
|---|---|
| January | January 28, 2026 |
| February | February 25, 2026 |
| March | March 27, 2026 |
| April | April 28, 2026 |
| May | May 27, 2026 |
| June | June 26, 2026 |
Payment Amounts: How Much Will You Get?
Depending on your own level of income, marital status, and even whether you are seeking the regular Allowance or the Allowance of the Survivor, the amount you will get through OAS Allowance will depend on these factors. The Like OAS and GIS, the Allowance is also pegged 4 times a year (January, April, July, and October) against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to maintain pace with inflation. The reduction in the cost of living will not reduce what you pay, rather it will remain constant or increase.
For January to June 2026, here are the maximum monthly amounts:
- OAS Allowance: Thus much up to 1381.90 in an absence of 60 and 64, when you are married or sharing a dwelling with a receiver of OAS and GIS in addition, and your combined daily revenue is under 40800 per year.
- Allowance for the Survivor: This depends on your age, up to 60 to 64 years old, death of your spouse or common-law partner, and yearly income! $29,712 and below!
These are a sum total of the OAS amount of the pension (up to $727.67) as at ages 65-74, the GIS amount (up to $654.23) as at ages 65-74 and adjusted to your specific circumstances. You can get the Allowance, amounting to the base requirement plus an additional amount depending on your 2024 tax return (or an estimate of your 2026 income in case of a situation change such as your cessation of employment). The Allowance is tax-free and thus you get to keep all the dollars though you still need to claim it in your tax return to ensure that you get to claim other benefits.
The amount of payment is subject to a decrease in case your income is near the limit. The upper boundary of the limit is your Allowance declined by 50 cents on every dollar of combined income beyond a specific limit. To illustrate, in case you and spouse have a gross income of $38, 000 then your Allowance may be less than the maximum of 1,381.90. On the web of canada.ca, you can use the OAS Benefits Estimator to find out the personalized estimate depending on your own income.
Here’s a table summarizing the maximum amounts and income thresholds for January to June 2026:
| Benefit | Maximum Monthly Amount | Maximum Annual Income |
|---|---|---|
| OAS Allowance | $1,381.90 | $40,800 (combined) |
| Allowance for the Survivor | $1,647.34 | $29,712 |
These figures may vary in January 2026, and therefore refer to the Government of Canada site to get new figures towards the date. OAS is also personally discussed as a one-time $650 bonus related to the saving in March 2026 to offset increasing costs, possibly to Allowance recipients, but this is not yet verified in January. Be aware of the news on the canada.ca.
Eligibility: Who Can Get the OAS Allowance?
The OAS Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor have specific eligibility rules, so let’s break them down to make sure you know if you qualify.
OAS Allowance
In order to receive the regular OAS Allowance, one must satisfy the following requirements:
- Age: Be 60 to 64 years old. The Allowance is terminated after the month in which you turn 65 because you will probably be eligible to receive OAS and GIS.
- Marital Status: married or in a common-law relationship with an individual that is receiving both OAS and GIS. These benefits must be approved already to your spouse or partner.
- Income: On your joint yearly earnings along with your spouse or common-law companion must be less than forty thousand eight hundred dollars (on your 2025 tax returns or a calculation of your 2026 revenues). This applies to the majority of sources of income, such as CPP, RRSP withdrawals, or even personal pensions but not OAS or GIS or even the Allowance itself.
- Residency: You should also reside in Canada and at least 10 years of your intervening stay should be in Canada since you are 18. When you stay out of Canada longer than six months, it will quit your payments with a possible exception of qualifying under a social security agreement with a foreign country.
- Citizenship or Residency Status: You must be a Canadian citizen or legal (e.g., permanent) resident. In case you are a sponsored immigrant, you might not pass the qualification criteria as long as you have lived in Canada less than 10 years since becoming 18 years old, except in case your sponsor has passed on, or gone broke or has served more than six months in jail, or has been found to have abused you.
Allowance for the Survivor
The rules for the Allowance for the Survivor are slightly different:
- Age: Be 60 to 64 years old.
- Status of marriage: You should have been widowed, divorced, or common-law separated, and you should not have married or been in a new common-law relationship.
- Income: It must be less than $29,712 (according to your annual tax return in 2025 or an estimate in 2026). Once again, OAS, GIS and Allowance payments do not come toward this.
- Residency: As with the above-mentioned case; you must reside in Canada and have been living in Canada at least 10 years since the time you started living there when you were 18 years old.
- Citizenship or Residency Status: Identical to the common Allowance–you have to be a citizen or a legal resident.
In case you have worked or lived in a nation that has a social security contract with Canada (such as the U.S., U.K. or Australia), this may also count toward your 10-year residency standing. Contact Service Canada to determine whether it applies to you or not. In case your income has decreased in the recent past (e.g. you are retired or your spouse has died), you can request Service Canada to estimate your income based on a current year tax return to increase your eligibility or the amount of payment.
How to Apply for the OAS Allowance
The OAS Allowance and Approval to the Survivor is normally applied manually, unlike OAS and GIS, where the enrollment is usually automatic. Service Canada does not necessarily possess sufficient information to make an automatic enrollment of readers, particularly when the OAS/GIS status of a spouse or income information of a wife is not clear. Here’s how to get started:
1. Online Application
- Log-in to your My Service Canada Account at canada.ca. You can create an account using your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and personal information- in case you do not have an account.
- Our of the Apply for Benefits section go to either the OAS Allowance or Allowance to the Survivor.
- Enter SIN, income information, marital status and history of residence. You should also have your SIN (when you are filing the regular Allowance) or the evidence of the death of your spouse (in case of the Survivor benefit).
- After placing the application, maintain watch in your account.
2. Paper Application
- Request the application form of the Allowance (ISP-3008) or the Allowance of the Survivor (ISP-3009) at canada.ca, or provided in a Service Canada office.
- Fill in the form using your SIN, income, marital status and your residence. In the case of Survivor benefit, you should provide a death certificate or other documents of the death of your spouse.
- Send it to the Service Canada or deliver it at a closer office. The address is on the form.
3. Timing
- When you attain the age 60 or your spouse has begun to receive OAS and GIS (or upon the death of your spouse to enable you receive the Survivor benefit). It may take several weeks to take shape and therefore do not take too long.
- When you apply and qualify retroactive payments Of up to 11 months can be added, but these are only on the date Service Canada receives your application.
Provided you are married together with your spouse who is also applying to OAS and GIS, you may apply together to the Allowance to save on time. Service Canada is going to inform you about additional documents, such as the evidence of income or residency.
Checking Your OAS Allowance Application Status
After you applied you might feel like knowing whether your application was approved, rejected, or under processing. Here’s how to check:
1. My Service Canada Account
- Sign in your account at canada.ca.
- See the Benefits and Payments section and verify the status of your Allowance, the amount of payment and the date that payment will be made next. This is also the place where you are allowed to update your banking or contact details.
- This is the surest and quickest method of keeping up.
2. Call Service Canada
- Dial 1-800-277-9914 and have your SIN ready. An agent has the ability to verify your application status, payment details or problems.
- The number of calls may be very large, and in this case, always attempt to call early in the mornings or in the middle of the week.
3. Visit a Service Canada Office
- Pop into your local office with your SIN, ID, and any letters from Service Canada. Staff can check your status and help with problems, like missing documents or income verification.
4. Check Your Tax Slip
- Visit your local office with your SIN, ID and drafted letters of Service Canada. Employees will be able to review your status and assist in issues, such as lost documents or checking incomes..
Your application status might show:
- Approved: You are good to go, and the payment will commence on the next scheduled date(e.g. January 26, 2026).
- Status: Your application is under consideration by Service Canada which may require a few weeks. It may occur when they are checking your income, residence or marital status of your spouse of OAS/GIS.
- Rejections: Your candidature was not successful due to the ineligibility reasons. You will receive a letter that will say why, such as, Combined income too high, husband not receiving GIS.
- Incomplete: You do not have all the documents or information to prove your residency or death certificate. Service Canada will define the requirements.
But even when your application is pending or is rejected, there are measures which you can take to correct.
What If Your Application Is Rejected or Payments Stop?
Rejection or making a withdrawal of your payments can be a daunting moment, but it is not over yet. The following is what could have occurred and how to correct it:
Common Reasons for Rejection or Stopped Payments
- Income Too high: Your combined income (or individual income in the case of the Survivor benefit) is above the amount (40800 on the Allowance, 29712 on the Survivor benefit). Request Service Canada to adopt a 2026 estimation of income in case you have decreased your earnings.
- Spouse Not Receiving OAS/GIS: In the case of the standard Allowance, your spouse or partner will have to receive both the OAS and the GIS. In case their GIS were rejected or halted, so will be your Allowance.
- Residency Concerns: Since you turned 18 years of age you have not been living in Canada during 10 years or you have been out of Canada over six months.
- Changes in Marital Status: In the case of Survivor benefit, getting remarried or into a new common-law relationship disqualifies you. You may not be eligible because of a change in the status of your spouse (divorce or death) with regard to the regular Allowance.
- Missing Tax Return: Allowance payments will be based on last year tax return. There is a risk that your payments will get cut off by April 30, 2026 in case you have not submitted your 2025 taxes.
- Incomplete Application: Things that are not present, such as your SIN, evidence of residence or a death certificate may result in denial.
What to Do
- File Your Taxes: In case the payments had been suspended because of no tax return being filed, submit your 2024 taxes immediately either using My Account with the Canada Revenue Agency or a tax practitioner. This is to refresh your income data to be eligible.
- Give Missing Info: In case of incomplete application, you are to present the missing information as, in the case of the Survivor benefit, the proof of residence (old tax returns, utility bills) or a death certificate.
- Request an Income Estimate: In case the current income in 2026 (e.g., you are retired or your spouse died) will decrease, require Service Canada to report a current-year estimate, thus not the 2025 tax return.
- Appeal to Rejectal: In case you believe that the rejection was not fair, address to Service Canada within 90 days upon which the decision letter was issued. State why you should be hired, and provide supporting materials, such as income or residence documentation. The process of a review normally requires 30-60 days.
- Check the status of your Spouse: In the case of the regular Allowance: make sure that your spouse continues to obtain OAS and GIS. Should their perquisites become inactive, you must have to sort that out.
- Contact Service Canada: Ph. 1-800-277-9914 or go to an office to seek clarification of the matter and the way forward.: Call 1-800-277-9914 or visit an office to get clarity on the issue and next steps.
In case of reapplication, the same procedure is applicable on the online application or on the paper application and all the information should be correct. Retroactive payment is paid on as many as 11 months upon receipt of your application by Service Canada, hence you need to move fast.
Other Benefits to Explore
With the OAS Allowance, you may be eligible to get other supplements to cover additional expenses:
- Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): This benefit pays up to $1,086.88 per month (January to February 2026) when your income is less than 21, 624 (single) or 29,136 (the couple receives both OAS). It is not taxable and it is automatic most of the time in the event that you are on OAS.
- OAS Pension: At age 65 you will take the Allowance into OAS, up to 727.67 per month (ages 65-74) or 800.44 (75 and above) in case you have lived in Canada 40 years since age 18.
- Provincial Supplements In British Columbia, the Senior Supplement maxes to $90 monthly to low-income OAS/GIS recipients. The program to that of Ontario, is GAINS. Enterprise Ontario: Contact your provincial government.
- GST/HST Credit: This is a quarterly tax credit available to low income families including seniors. File your taxes to qualify.
- Canada Disability Benefit: This new benefit can be used to supplement the benefits to people with a disability. Eligibility and details of application available at check canada.ca.
Check with contact service Canada or your provincial benefits office to find out what is more you can get. These extras will count to make a difference.
Key Updates for OAS in 2026
- Digital Proof of Identity: Starting January 1, 2026, you are allowed to submit documents to prove your age, share identification, or marital status with a digital upload in your My Service Canada Account, in addition to the existing mail/in-person options, and makes the application process look more straightforward.
- Age 75+ Payment Boost: A permanent automatic 10 percent increase to the monthly OAS payment will commence in January 2026 on behalf of seniors aged 75 and older, to have greater assistance with healthcare and living expenses.
- Inflation Adjustments: OAS payments are indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), so they are adjusted quarterly (in January, April, July, October), in line with the cost of living.
What to Expect
- Increased Payments: The payment will increase higher by 2026 because of an age-related rise as well as CPI adjustments, where the rate will be revised on a quarterly basis.
- Easier Applications: It is now possible to have simpler applications such as the ability to supply needed documents electronically and hence can easily apply or update your information.
- Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): Non-taxable GIS has been re-examined quarterly, again to avoid poverty as well as to keep up with changes in inflation.