Olivia TremblayThe April 28 Deadline Every Canadian Senior Should Know
Old Age Security (OAS) payments for Canadian seniors are increasing on April 28, 2026 — the quarterly cost-of-living adjustment that raises maximum monthly amounts to $743.05 for those aged 65 to 74, and $817.36 for seniors 75 and older. The 0.1% increase for the April to June 2026 quarter pushes the year-over-year gain to 2.1% compared to April 2025, according to the Government of Canada's OAS payment schedule.
The payment lands automatically for eligible recipients via direct deposit on Tuesday, April 28, or by cheque during the final business days of the month. But with the adjustment comes a question many seniors overlook: could you be triggering the OAS "recovery tax" — commonly called the clawback — without realizing it?
What Is the OAS Clawback — and Who Gets Hit?
The OAS recovery tax reduces your benefit when your net world income exceeds a set threshold. For the current payment period (January to June 2026), amounts are calculated from your 2024 income. The clawback threshold for this cycle is $90,997.
For every dollar your income exceeds that limit, 15 cents is deducted from your OAS benefit. A senior earning $100,000 in 2024 would repay roughly $1,350 per year — about $112 less per month than the full benefit.
Starting July 2026, the threshold shifts to your 2025 income, with a new limit of $93,454.
Net world income captures nearly everything: CPP payments, RRSP and RRIF withdrawals, employment income, rental income, and taxable capital gains. One critical exception: TFSA withdrawals. Funds drawn from a Tax-Free Savings Account do not count toward the clawback — a strategic advantage many Canadians are not fully using.
The Age-75 Premium Many Seniors Miss
Since July 2022, seniors who turn 75 receive a permanent 10% increase to their OAS pension — automatically, from the first payment after their 75th birthday. No separate application is required.
That distinction matters. Many Canadians approaching 75 assume they need to reapply or notify Service Canada. They do not. The jump from $743.05 to $817.36 per month at age 75 represents an extra $891.72 per year. Over a decade of retirement, this compounds into a meaningful difference — particularly when layered with other income strategies.
When Delaying OAS Actually Pays Off
Canadian law allows seniors to voluntarily defer OAS collection past age 65, up to age 70. Each month of deferral increases the benefit by 0.6% — a total maximum increase of 36% for those who wait the full five years.
The decision is not automatic. A senior who starts OAS at 65 and lives to 80 receives 180 monthly payments. A senior deferring to 70 receives 120 payments at a higher amount. The breakeven point — where deferred total income surpasses early-OAS total income — typically falls around age 74 to 76, depending on individual circumstances.
For a senior with sufficient income from CPP, RRIF, or part-time employment until age 68 or 70, deferring OAS can deliver significantly more lifetime income. For a senior who needs income immediately or faces health concerns that reduce expected longevity, starting at 65 is often the better choice.
How to Reduce Clawback Exposure With Income Sequencing
The OAS clawback is not inevitable. With planning, many Canadians can reduce or eliminate it through deliberate ordering of withdrawals across RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, and non-registered accounts.
A common strategy: draw down RRSP assets in your late 50s and early 60s, before OAS begins, to reduce the future RRIF minimum withdrawal that will apply after age 72. Lower RRIF withdrawals mean lower reported income in retirement — which can keep net world income below the clawback threshold for years.
Pension income splitting between spouses can also reduce individual income, keeping both partners under the threshold. These strategies require careful modeling because adjusting one variable — such as capital gains timing — affects the entire plan.
What a Wealth Management Expert Can Help You Optimize
This complexity is where many Canadians leave money behind. The OAS system intersects with CPP timing, RRIF rules, TFSA contribution room, estate planning, and tax bracket management in ways that compound over decades.
A licensed wealth management expert can model multiple income scenarios, stress-test your plan against inflation and market volatility, and help you decide not just when to start OAS, but how to sequence all income sources so you keep more of each one. For clients near or above the clawback threshold, a structured planning session can recover thousands of dollars per year in OAS benefits — far more than it costs.
The Government of Canada notes that eligible seniors who did not receive an automatic enrollment letter — typically sent around age 64 — can apply for OAS up to 11 months before their 65th birthday. Late applications are accepted going back 11 months from the date of submission.
What to Do Before April 28
If you are receiving OAS, no action is required for the April 28 payment — the increase is applied automatically. If you believe you may be subject to the recovery tax, reviewing your 2024 tax return now will confirm whether the Canada Revenue Agency has begun source deductions from your monthly benefit.
If you are approaching 65 — or 75 — and have not reviewed your retirement income plan with a financial professional, this month's payment adjustment is a concrete prompt to do so. OAS is indexed to inflation quarterly, but it accounts for only a portion of retirement income. How you coordinate it with every other source determines how much you actually keep in retirement.
The information in this article reflects government-published figures for the April–June 2026 quarter and is subject to quarterly adjustment. This is general information only — consult a licensed wealth management professional for advice specific to your financial situation.
