OAS Survivor Allowance 2026: Canadian Allowance for the Survivor on eligible widowed people aged 60-64 years as part of quarterly Canadian OAS adjustments according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is expected to increase slightly with inflation in 2026 and thus may go up to about $1,680.48 per month, a 0.3 percent increase over the preceding quarter.
The 0.3% re-evaluation on January 2026 through March 2026 might be verified on the official Canada.ca site, although the exact ultimate figures on all benefits are verified on a quarterly basis with minor estimates given by sources. Official 2026 figures can be found in Service Canada.
OAS Survivor Allowance 2026
The OAS Survivor Allowance is a non-taxable monthly payment of the federal government to Canadians aged between 60 and 64 years, who lost their spouse or common law partner and have a low income. It is both a component of the larger Old Age Security (OAS) program that also covers the OAS pension, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) that provides benefits to low-income seniors aged 65 and above, and the regular Allowance when the spouse of the recipient obtains the other two benefits, the OAS and GIS.
Allowance to the Survivor is special since it is specifically designed by those who are widowed, have not taken another relationship and require assistance in covering basic needs such as rent, food or health costs until they reach old age of 65 and qualify to receive OAS.
Contrary to Canada Pension Plan (CPP) which is governed by the work history and contributions one makes, OAS Survivor Allowance requires no previous work history and is funded by the general tax revenues, meaning that one does not have to have worked to receive it. It is just a matter of providing you with a financial cushion in between years and it ceases the month you turn 65 years of age when you can qualify to claim OAS and possibly GIS. It is not taxable and, therefore, means that all the money you get is yours to spend and keeping in mind that money is very welcome when a person is on a tight budget after the loss of a partner.
Eligibility of OAS Survivor Allowance
The Allowance of the Survivor is also goal-oriented hence you should meet certain criteria in order to qualify. You must be 60 to 64 years old. The benefit ceases one month following the achievement of your 65th year since you will probably qualify to the OAS and even GIS. The death of your spouse or common-law partner must have occurred and you have not remarried or taken up another common-law relationship after his or her death.
You are not allowed to earn more than $29,712 per year (using your 2024 tax return or a 2025 estimate). These consist of income derived by CPP, private pensions, RRSPs or work part-time, but not OAS, GIS or the Allowance per se. You must be a Canadian resident and must have been a resident of Canada at least 10 years since 18. You will not receive any payments unless you are in another country over six months, or you are eligible under an International social security agreement.
You have to be a Canadian citizen or legal resident (such as permanent resident). You may not become eligible when you are a sponsored immigrant and less than 10 years old as well as in cases where your sponsor has died, became bankrupt, served more than six months in jail, or was convicted as using you.
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OAS Survivor Allowance Payments Dates
The payment distribution follows all other OAS benefits such as the OAS pension and GIS and are distributed on the 3rd-to-last business day of each month in the event that you have signed a direct deposit election. Provided you still get cheques, they are sent out approximately on the same date, but it may take up to 10 business days to get them, depending on your location. Direct deposit is extremely easy to switch, either log into your My Service Canada Account on canada.ca or call Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 and request the direct deposit.
How Much Are You Going To Receive In OAS Survivor Allowance?
The allowance to the Survivor will be based on the income that you earned last year (or an approximation of the income that you will earn this year should there be a significant change). The government down regulates these amounts four times a year that is, January, April, July, and October depending on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to cope up with inflation. When the cost of living falls, your payments will remain the same or rise.
The greatest amount that the Allowance to the Survivor should be paid is 1,647.34 monthly in case your annual earnings are lower than 29712. This sum is a lump sum of the OAS pension base(727.67 between 65 and 74) and an amount of GIS based on low income survivors between 60 and 64. Those with income near the 29,712 bracket will receive less in payments but this is usually by half-a-dollar per dollar earned beyond a certain threshold.
To illustrate, you may have an annual income of 28,000, which is the maximum, and thus your Allowance is slightly less than the maximum, however, when you use the OAS Benefits Estimator online by Service Canada, you can get the exact figure, basing on the circumstances.
Income that comes over as a result of CPP, RRSP withdrawals, part-time employment, etc, extends to the $29,712 limit but OAS, GIS or even the Allowance itself do not. Provided that you earned less last year, e.g. you retired or lost a personal pension, Service Canada will allow you to estimate the amount of income you will have in 2025 in place of your 2024 tax return. This may raise your compensation or qualify you should you have been over the income limit.
How are OAS Survivor Allowance to be applied?
In contrast to the OAS pension which in many cases can be an automatic enrollment, the Allowance for the Survivor generally needs to be applied manually. Service Canada requires certain information regarding the death of your spouse and your income that may not be available in your tax returns by itself. You may redeem up to 11 months prior to attaining 60 years or any period between 60 and 64 in case of the death of your spouse. Here’s how to do it:
Log-in to My Service Canada Account at visit canada.ca. In case you do not have one, it is possible to create an account using your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and personal information. In the section of the benefits, go to the Apply for Benefits and choose the Allowance of the Survivor. Complete the SIN, income data, history of residence, and evidence of the death of your spouse (such as a death certificate or a statement of a funeral director). You will be required to post certified copies of such documents. Send in the application and check your account on application update.
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OAS Survivor Allowance Application Status
After applying, you will be interested in knowing whether your application has been approved, rejected or is undergoing the process. To check it: Log in to your account at canada.ca. Go to the Benefits and Payments section and see how much you receive as the Allowance for the Survivor status, the amount of payments, and the date of the next one. You are also able to change your banking or contact details here. This is the most secure and the simplest way of remaining in the loop.
Typical causes of Rejection or Halting Payments
Your annual income is above $29,712. In case your income is lower in 2025 (e.g. you are no longer working), request Service Canada to apply a current year estimate, rather than your 2024 tax return. You are no longer qualified in case you are remarried or in a new common law relationship. This change should be reported as soon as possible to Service Canada.
You have neither been living 10 years in Canada since the age of 18, nor have you been out of Canada over six months without you qualifying under a social security agreement. The eligibility depends on your 2024 tax filing. Unless you file on or before April 30, 2025, your payments will be stopped or your application will be denied. The lack of such documents may result in rejection such as a death certificate or evidence of residence.