Sep 26, 2026
Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will rise 1.4% for the October to December quarter — the largest of the four adjustments made in 2026.
The new rate first shows up in the October 28 deposit. What’s less obvious is how much of that 1.4% actually reaches your account, since that depends on which benefit you receive, whether it’s taxable and whether part of your pension is already being clawed back.
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Here’s what the new maximum payments are, why the increase lands differently depending on your situation and what’s worth checking before payday.
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What’s changing on October 28?
Every benefit in the OAS family moves by the same 1.4%, applied to the current quarter’s maximums. The OAS pension rises from $751.97 to about $762.50 a month for ages 65 to 74, and from $827.17 to about $838.75 for ages 75 and over. The GIS maximum for a single senior rises from $1,123.17 to about $1,138.89, the Allowance rises from $1,428.06 to about $1,448.05, and the Allowance for the Survivor rises from $1,702.34 to about $1,726.17.
Service Canada had not yet published the finalized October rate card at the time of writing, so treat these as close estimates rather than the official figure.
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Why does the raise land differently for different seniors?
The OAS pension counts as taxable income, but the GIS, the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor do not. That difference changes what a senior actually keeps. Take an Ontario pensioner in the lowest tax bracket, paying a combined federal and provincial rate of about 19%: a $10.53 monthly OAS increase is worth roughly $8.52 after tax. A single GIS recipient’s $15.72 increase, by comparison, is not taxed at all — the lower a senior’s income, the more of the raise they keep.
Does the clawback threshold move in October?
No. OAS is reduced by 15 cents for every dollar of net world income above the recovery tax threshold, and that threshold — $93,454 for the period running July 2026 to June 2027, based on 2025 income — stays fixed through the full period regardless of the October increase. A senior already in partial clawback territory has 15% of the new increase withheld before it reaches their bank account, on top of the tax owed on what’s left.
Who benefits most from this increase?
Lower-income seniors on GIS come out ahead twice over: their dollar increase is larger than the OAS pension increase, and none of it is taxed or subject to clawback.
Seniors aged 75 and over are also further ahead, since the OAS pension for that group has carried a permanent 10% boost since July 2022 — this quarter’s 1.4% applies on top of that higher base.
What should you do before October 28?
Nothing is required to receive the increase; it’s applied automatically to every payment starting October 28, along with the November 26 and December 22 deposits in the same quarter. If you’re unsure what you’ll actually receive, Service Canada’s Old Age Security Benefits Estimator can calculate your specific payment based on your age, residency and income. GIS, Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor amounts are reassessed every July based on the prior year’s net income, so a change in your income this year could shift your payment again regardless of the quarterly CPI adjustment.
A 1.4% headline doesn’t mean every senior gets 1.4% more in hand. Check which benefits you receive, whether they’re taxable, and whether your income sits near the clawback threshold before deciding what the October increase is actually worth to your budget.
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Amy Tokic is an SEO content editor for Money.ca. She holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Windsor. Amy is an award-winning author and has been writing professionally for 15 years, publishing articles in the lifestyle and health sectors.
