OAS increase for January 2027, and every quarter after
On the CPI published so far, the January to March 2027 adjustment works out to +0.2% Running · 2 of 3 months
Old Age Security is re-indexed to the Consumer Price Index every January, April, July and October. This page runs the Old Age Security Act formula on Statistics Canada's CPI as each month is published, shows the amounts in force right now, and switches to Service Canada's official figures the day they appear. Nothing here is a forecast.
The January to March 2027 adjustment, and where it stands
January to March 2027
+0.2%
running, 2 of 3 months published
CPI average so far, August to October 2026
169.9
against 169.5 for May to July 2026, the last period that produced an increase
Final after
Nov 16
October 2026 CPI, 8:30 a.m. ET; Service Canada posts the amounts a few days before the quarter
Source: Old Age Security Act s.27.1; Statistics Canada table 18-10-0004-01, all-items CPI, read daily, latest month September 2026. Service Canada's published amounts govern. The monthly CPI is on the inflation page.
OAS amounts in force now: October to December 2026
Read daily from Service Canada. This quarter's amounts are 1.4% above last quarter and 3% above a year ago.
| Benefit | Maximum per month | Income must be below |
|---|---|---|
| OAS pension, age 65 to 74 | $762.50 | $152,062 (fully clawed back above this) |
| OAS pension, age 75 and over (+10%) | $838.75 | $157,923 (fully clawed back above this) |
| GIS, single | $1,138.90 | $23,112 |
Source: Service Canada, Old Age Security payment amounts, verified October 22, 2026. Full amount requires 40 years of residence after 18; the OAS payment dates page has every GIS and Allowance row.
The 2027 clawback line
January also matters for the OAS recovery tax. The clawback threshold is indexed every year by the CRA's indexation factor, the same one that moves the tax brackets. For 2025 income the threshold is $93,454, with 15 cents of every dollar above it recovered from the OAS paid from July 2026 to June 2027. For 2026 income, Service Canada's rate card puts the repayment range at $95,323 to $155,320 (ages 65 to 74) and up to $161,320 at 75 and over. The 2027 threshold (for 2027 income) follows the 2027 indexation factor, which on the published CPI is 2.6%; the CRA confirms it in November and the limits tracker picks it up the same day.
Our OAS clawback guide covers the ways retirees keep income under the line, and the calculator runs your own numbers.
How the quarterly formula works
Each quarter, Service Canada compares the average CPI of the three most recent months available with the three-month average that set the current amount. January uses August to October; April uses November to January; July uses February to April; October uses May to July. If the new average is higher, OAS rises by that percentage from the first payment of the quarter. If it is lower, the amount is held, and the next comparison is made against the last period that produced an increase. The GIS, the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor move with it.
Because the window is short, OAS reacts to a burst of inflation within a few months, while CPP's once-a-year increase averages a full year and catches up the following January. Over time the two deliver about the same protection.
What to do with it
- Nothing to apply for. The new amount arrives automatically with the first payment of the quarter.
- Turning 75? The 10% boost starts the month after your birthday, on top of the indexed amount, with no application.
- Deferring? Each month of deferral after 65 adds 0.6%, on top of indexation, but you forfeit the GIS while deferring.
- Near the clawback line? Pension income splitting, TFSA-first withdrawals and timing RRSP withdrawals before 65 are the usual levers; our splitting guide and withdrawal-order guide walk through them.
First 2027 payment
Service Canada publishes the 2027 calendar in late autumn; the dates appear on the OAS payment dates page and in the calendar feed the day they are posted. The last 2026 payment is Tuesday, December 22, 2026.
Add the OAS payment dates to your calendar
Subscribe once and every Old Age Security date stays current: new dates appear the day the agency publishes them.
Free, no sign-up, no tracking. All calendar feeds and how to subscribe on iPhone, Android and Outlook.
Frequently asked questions
How much will OAS go up in January 2027?
Not announced yet. The January adjustment is the average CPI for August to October 2026 over the average for May to July 2026, the last period that produced an increase. On the 2 of 3 months published so far it works out to +0.2%. The last month in the window is released November 16, 2026, and Service Canada posts the new amounts in late December.
Why does OAS change four times a year when CPP changes once?
Different Acts. The Old Age Security Act indexes OAS, GIS and the Allowances every quarter on a three-month CPI average, so the pension tracks prices within a few months. The Canada Pension Plan Act indexes CPP once a year on a 12-month average. Over a full year both deliver roughly the same inflation protection; OAS just gets there in smaller steps.
Can OAS go down?
No. If the three-month CPI average falls, the adjustment is zero and the amount is held until prices pass the previous high. That is why the formula compares against the last period that produced an increase rather than simply the previous quarter.
What is the OAS clawback threshold for 2027?
Two thresholds matter. For 2025 income (the recovery period that runs from July 2026 to June 2027), the clawback starts at $93,454. For 2026 income, Service Canada's rate card gives a repayment range of $95,323 to $155,320 at ages 65 to 74 and up to $161,320 at 75 and over. The 2027 income threshold is set by the CRA indexation factor (2.6% for 2027 on the published CPI) and published in November.
Does the 10% boost at 75 change in January?
The 75-and-over amount is simply the 65-to-74 amount plus 10%, so both rise by the same percentage each quarter: $762.50 and $838.75 this quarter. The boost starts automatically the month after your 75th birthday.
Is the GIS increased at the same time?
Yes. The Guaranteed Income Supplement, the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor are indexed on the same quarterly schedule. The maximum GIS for a single person is $1,138.90 a month this quarter.
If I defer OAS, do I still get the increases?
Yes. Deferral adds 0.6% for each month after 65 (36% at 70) on top of the indexed amount, so the pension you eventually start is calculated on the amount in force when you begin and then indexed every quarter like everyone else's. Note that you cannot receive the GIS while deferring.
Running and final figures are RetireSmarter calculations from Statistics Canada's published CPI using the statutory formula; they are not forecasts or government announcements. Amounts in force are read daily from Service Canada, whose published figures govern. Information only, not advice.
Live from the source, refreshed daily
Read every morning from Service Canada, Statistics Canada, the Bank of Canada and the CRA, and again at 11 a.m. ET on weekdays. Published figures only, no estimates.
Retire Smarter in 7 Days
A free 7-email course for Canadians 50+: CPP timing, OAS clawback, RRSP to RRIF, TFSA, withdrawal order, and couples tax splitting. One short email a day. Unsubscribe anytime.