The Government of Canada has confirmed that Old Age Security benefits will increase by 1.4% for the October-to-December 2026 quarter. According to Canada.ca, this represents a 3.0% increase over the year from October 2025 to October 2026.
That confirmation matters because earlier reports appeared before the government page displayed the new quarter's adjustment. The official page now supports the 1.4% figure. However, the percentage increase does not mean every senior will receive the same dollar amount.
How OAS indexing works
OAS benefits are reviewed four times each year—in January, April, July, and October. The adjustment is based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, a measure of changes in consumer prices. If the cost of living rises, monthly OAS rates can increase. If the cost of living falls, OAS payment rates do not decrease.
This quarterly schedule differs from the Canada Pension Plan. CPP benefit amounts are adjusted once a year in January. For 2026, CPP benefits increased by 2.0% based on the applicable CPI calculation.
What the 1.4% increase does not tell you
The 1.4% figure applies to OAS benefit rates, but it does not determine a person's payment by itself. Individual OAS amounts can depend on age, years of residence in Canada after age 18, income, and whether the recipient is subject to the OAS recovery tax.
The figures shown on Canada.ca are maximum amounts, not guaranteed payments. For July to September 2026, the published maximum monthly OAS pension was $751.97 for people aged 65 to 74 and $827.17 for people aged 75 and older. Those figures belong to the previous quarter. Readers should use the official OAS estimator or their Service Canada information to determine the amount applicable to their own circumstances.
OAS and GIS are not the same benefit
OAS is a taxable pension for eligible seniors. The Guaranteed Income Supplement is an additional income-tested benefit for eligible low-income OAS recipients living in Canada, and GIS payments are not taxable. GIS amounts can change when income or marital status changes. Canada.ca notes that GIS, Allowance, and Allowance for the Survivor payments are recalculated each July using the previous calendar year's net income.
The recovery tax can reduce OAS
Higher-income recipients may have to repay part or all of their OAS through the recovery tax, sometimes called the OAS clawback. For the July 2026-to-June 2027 recovery period, the minimum threshold is based on 2025 net world income above $93,454. Different upper thresholds apply by age, and the calculation depends on the applicable income year. Because thresholds and payment periods can be confusing, recipients should verify the current government table or obtain tax advice before making planning decisions.
What seniors and families should do
- Confirm the adjustment on Canada.ca rather than relying only on social-media posts or unofficial payment charts.
- Check the actual deposit and benefit statement instead of assuming the published maximum applies.
- Use the OAS Benefits Estimator for a personalized estimate, especially when residence history or income may affect entitlement.
- Report changes that can affect GIS or other income-tested benefits and file income-tax returns on time.
- Review the combined effect of OAS, CPP, workplace pensions, withdrawals, and taxes when planning retirement income.
The bottom line
The October-to-December 2026 OAS increase of 1.4% is now officially confirmed. It is a quarterly cost-of-living adjustment, not a special one-time payment, and it should not be confused with CPP's annual indexing. The most reliable way to understand the change is to separate the official percentage adjustment from the personal factors that determine an individual's deposit.