CPP and OAS payment dates (2026): why you won’t get the maximum

When are CPP and OAS paid in 2026?

CPP payment dates and OAS payment dates are the same: Service Canada pays the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) on one day near the end of each month. If you get both, they arrive together.

Service Canada had not posted 2027 dates when we checked on October 30, 2026. Direct deposit gets you paid on the day.

What is the maximum CPP payment in 2026?

The CPP maximum for 2026 is $1,507.65 a month for someone starting at 65 in January 2026. The average new pension at 65 was $858.34 in July 2026, $649.31 a month less.

Few people get the maximum. It assumes earnings at or above the yearly ceiling, $74,600 in 2026, for nearly your whole adult life. The average is about 57% of it.

The maximum also rises monthly because of the CPP enhancement, which began on January 1, 2019, so today’s retirees paid the enhanced rate for only part of their careers.

Why is my CPP less than the maximum?

Your CPP depends on how long you contributed, how much you earned and your start age. Some rules soften low-earning years.

The child-rearing provisions are not automatic. They cover low-earning years as the primary caregiver of a child under 7, born after December 31, 1958, if you or your partner got Family Allowance or the Canada Child Benefit. Request them when you apply, or later through My Service Canada Account.

How do I check my own CPP amount?

Your own number is on your CPP Statement of Contributions in My Service Canada Account. It lists every year of contributions and pensionable earnings, plus a benefit estimate. Choose “View my contributions” to check for missing years, then “View my benefit estimates”.

Read the estimate carefully. Service Canada calls it “an estimate of your CPP pension amount if you or your family is eligible to receive it now.” If you are still working, it is a snapshot of your record, not a forecast. Quebec workers may need to ask Retraite Québec.

How much is OAS in 2026?

Old Age Security is not tied to your work history. It is paid from 65 based on how long you lived in Canada after 18. For October to December 2026 it pays up to $762.50 a month at 65 to 74 and $838.75 at 75 and over.

The 75+ amount reflects the automatic 10% increase the month after your 75th birthday. OAS is reviewed every January, April, July and October; it rose 1.4% for October to December 2026 and never falls when prices drop.

A full pension needs 40 years in Canada after 18. With less, you get years in Canada divided by 40: 20 years pays about $381.25 a month. You need at least 10 years while living in Canada, or 20 abroad. Delaying OAS adds 0.6% a month, up to 36% at 70.

The Guaranteed Income Supplement, survivor benefits and CPP disability are separate.

What is the OAS clawback?

The OAS clawback, officially the recovery tax, takes back 15% of net world income above a threshold, using last year’s income: 2025 income above $93,454 sets what is withheld from July 2026 to June 2027.

Service Canada’s example: 2025 net income of $100,000 is $6,546 over the threshold. At 15% that is $981.90, about $81.83 a month withheld from July 2026 to June 2027.

The income used is the net income on your notice of assessment. The GST/HST credit follows the same July to June pattern. An RRSP deduction lowers net income, so it can lower the clawback too.

Should I take CPP at 60, 65 or 70?

You can start CPP at any age from 60 to 70. Before 65 it drops 0.6% for each month early, up to 36% at 60. After 65 it rises 0.7% for each month late, up to 42% at 70. The change lasts for life.

A worked example on the $858.34 average. Starting at 60 pays $549.34 a month, or $32,960.40 by 65. Starting at 65 pays $309 more a month, so the later starter catches up after 106.67 months: the totals cross around age 74.

From 65 to 70, the person gives up $51,500.40 to get $360.50 more a month, which takes 142.86 months to recover: around age 82. The example ignores tax, investment returns and indexation.

There is no right age for everyone: health, savings and a spouse’s pension all change the answer. Working while receiving CPP before 70 can also earn a post-retirement benefit, up to $54.69 a month at 65.

What do CPP and OAS add up to?

Both pensions are taxable, and for most people they fall well short of a working salary. A high-interest savings account can hold a cash cushion, and the inflation calculator shows what a fixed amount loses over time.