OAS Calculator Canada

Old Age Security is one of the main sources of retirement income in Canada. Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, it depends on how long you have lived in the country, not on what you paid in at work. This calculator estimates your monthly OAS pension from your age and years of residency, and the recovery tax if you enter your net income.

How OAS is calculated

• Age band: people aged 65 to 74 receive one maximum monthly amount, and those 75 and over a higher one. The calculator picks the band from the age you enter.
• Residency: a full pension needs 40 years of residency after age 18. With fewer, your years divided by 40 gives the fraction of the full amount you receive.

The calculator applies the residency fraction to the maximum for your age band.

The 40-year residency rule

With 40 or more years in Canada after your eighteenth birthday you receive 100% of the maximum; with 20 years, half. You generally need at least 10 years of residency after 18 to receive any OAS while living in Canada, and the calculator returns zero below that.

The age-75 increase

The maximum OAS amount was raised for seniors aged 75 and over, since costs and care needs tend to rise later in retirement. Enter 75 or more and the calculator switches to the higher maximum before applying your residency fraction, so the same person sees their OAS step up at that birthday.

A worked example

Someone aged 67 who has lived in Canada for all 40 qualifying years is in the 65 to 74 band with 100% residency, so the estimate is the full maximum: $762.50 a month, or $9,150 a year, at the October to December 2026 rate.

With 30 years of residency instead, the fraction is 75%, giving about $571.88 a month, or $6,862.50 a year. Each year short of 40 removes one fortieth of the maximum for as long as the pension is paid.

Someone aged 76 with 20 years of residency is in the 75-plus band, with a maximum of $838.75, but receives half of it: about $419.38 a month.

OAS and the recovery tax

OAS is reduced by a recovery tax, often called the clawback, once net income passes a threshold: 15% of net income above $95,323 for 2026. A 67-year-old with full residency and $110,000 of net income would repay about $2,202 a year, leaving about $6,948 of the $9,150 pension, or about $579 a month. For most retirees with modest incomes the clawback does not apply.

Where OAS fits in your retirement plan

OAS usually works alongside the Canada Pension Plan, workplace pensions and savings such as RRSPs and TFSAs. Because it is indexed to inflation and paid for life, it is a stable base for the rest of the plan. Lower-income seniors receiving OAS may also qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, a separate non-taxable benefit.

Residency, agreements and living abroad

Canada has social security agreements with many countries. These can let periods of residence or contributions abroad count toward the minimum needed to qualify for OAS, though they do not increase the pension itself. That matters most for newcomers who arrived later in life and would otherwise fall short of the ten-year minimum.

To keep receiving OAS after leaving Canada you generally need at least 20 years of residency after age 18; with fewer, payment abroad usually stops after a set number of months away. Anyone planning to retire overseas should check how their residency history interacts with these rules.

Deferring OAS past 65

You can defer OAS for up to five years, to age 70, and each month of deferral permanently raises the monthly amount by 0.6%, up to 36% at 70. Deferral can suit you if you are still working, expect a long retirement or want a larger inflation-indexed income later. It rarely suits you if your health or income needs argue for starting sooner, since the payments skipped during deferral are not recovered. This calculator does not apply the deferral increase, so add it yourself when comparing starting ages.

Applying for OAS

Many people are enrolled automatically and get a letter from Service Canada the year before they turn 65, but not everyone, so check your status in My Service Canada Account and apply if needed. OAS is taxable, and the amount is reported each year on a T4A(OAS) slip. Revisit the estimate as you approach 75, pair it with CPP and retirement income estimates, and confirm the final figures with Service Canada before major decisions, since amounts change quarterly and residency records can be complex.

This article is general information only and not financial advice; confirm figures with official sources or a qualified professional.

About This OAS Calculator

Use this OAS calculator to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.