OAS Payments Are Bigger This July — Here's How Much More You'll Get

 

July 21, 2026

If you or someone in your family collects Old Age Security, the deposit landing later this month is larger than the last one. Here's exactly why, and what the new numbers look like.

Old Age Security payments went up 1.2% for the July-to-September 2026 quarter — the largest of the four scheduled increases so far this year. Combined with earlier adjustments, that puts OAS 2.3% higher than it was in July 2025.

OAS amounts are reviewed every January, April, July, and October to track the Consumer Price Index. When the cost of living rises, the payment rises with it. When it falls, the payment simply holds steady — OAS is protected from ever decreasing.

The new maximum monthly amounts

Age Group	April–June 2026	July–September 2026	Monthly Increase
65 to 74	$743.05	$751.97	+$8.92
75 and older	$817.36	$827.17	+$9.81

Seniors 75 and up sit higher because of the permanent 10% top-up the federal government added to that age group's OAS back in July 2022. That bump applies automatically once you turn 75 — no application needed.

These are maximum amounts. What lands in your account depends on your age, your income, and how many years you've lived in Canada since turning 18. A full 40 years of residency after 18 gets you the full pension; fewer years means a proportionally smaller payment.

What it means for you: Even at the maximum, the increase works out to roughly $9 to $10 more per month. It won't move the needle on its own, but stacked with the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit increase and this month's other cost-of-living adjustments, it adds up over a year — the 65-to-74 rate alone now totals just over $9,000 annually at the maximum.

When the bigger payment actually arrives

The new rate takes effect with the payment on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. That's the first deposit at the higher amount — the June 26 payment was still at the old April-to-June rate. The increase then carries through the August 27 and September 25 payments before the next quarterly review in October.

Direct deposit is the fastest way to get it — Service Canada can deposit into Canadian, US, or other participating-country bank accounts. If you're still on cheques, expect delivery in the last few business days of the month.

GIS recipients: this month is a bigger deal

If you also receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the Allowance, or the Allowance for the Survivor, July does double duty. Beyond the same 1.2% cost-of-living bump, this is also the annual reset date — Service Canada switches from using your 2024 tax return to your 2025 tax return to recalculate what you get for the year ahead.

That cuts two ways. If your 2025 income dropped compared to 2024 — say you retired partway through the year, or your investment income fell — your GIS top-up could jump by more than the standard 1.2%. If your income rose, the opposite can happen. Either way, a July deposit that looks different from June is almost always explained by one of three things: the quarterly increase, the annual income reset, or a recovery-tax adjustment — not an error.

One more thing worth flagging: seniors who hadn't filed their 2025 tax return could see GIS payments paused starting this month until Service Canada has the income information it needs. If that's you, filing sooner rather than later avoids a gap.

Higher-income seniors: the clawback threshold moved too

The OAS recovery tax — better known as the clawback — also resets in July using 2025 income. For the July 2026-to-June 2027 repayment period, the threshold is $93,454 in net world income. Above that, Service Canada withholds 15 cents of OAS for every dollar over the line, generally deducted in advance from future monthly payments.

If your 2025 income landed near or above that mark — including from RRIF withdrawals, pension income, or investment income — it's worth checking your payment notice from Service Canada rather than assuming your deposit is wrong.

Quick recap

• OAS is up 1.2% for July–September 2026, taking effect July 29
• New maximums: $751.97 (ages 65–74) and $827.17 (ages 75+)
• GIS, Allowance, and Allowance for the Survivor get the same 1.2% bump plus an annual reset using 2025 income
• Clawback threshold for the new repayment year is $93,454 in net world income
• No action needed if you're already enrolled — the new amount applies automatically

You can check your exact personal amount anytime through My Service Canada Account. Figures above reflect Service Canada's confirmed July–September 2026 rate car