OAS + GIS Retirement Income Calculator
Estimate your total Canadian retirement income in one place: OAS (net of recovery tax), GIS by marital category, CPP/QPP, the Allowance, and your other income sources. Rates current to Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026).
Your Situation
First $5,000 fully exempt + next $10,000 at 50% (GIS rule).
GIS rates are effective Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026), re-indexed quarterly to CPI.
Combined Retirement Income
Total annual (household)
$25,580
Total monthly
$2,132
GIS Eligibility
Provincial top-up: Ontario GAINS
Paid monthly to GIS recipients for July 2026 to June 2027: up to $92 a month each, nil once your private income reaches $4,416. Private income is counted as for GIS (CPP, pensions, interest; OAS and GIS excluded).
Source: official Ontario page
OAS Clawback (Recovery Tax)
Income Breakdown
| Source | Monthly | Annual | Taxable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| OAS (net of clawback) | $750 | $9,000 | Yes |
| CPP / QPP | $800 | $9,600 | Yes |
| GIS | $582 | $6,980 | Tax-free |
| Total household | $2,132 | $25,580 | — |
Key strategies
TFSA income doesn't count: TFSA withdrawals don't count for either OAS clawback or GIS means testing. Drawing from TFSA is the most tax-efficient source in retirement.
CPP is a GIS killer: Every dollar of CPP reduces GIS by about $0.50 (single) or is split across partners. If you have a small CPP and expect GIS, starting CPP late can be worse than starting early.
Employment exemption: The first $5,000 of employment or SE income is exempt from the GIS income test, plus 50% of the next $10,000. Part-time retirement work up to $15,000 only counts $5,000 toward GIS.
GIS is tax-free: GIS and the Allowance are not taxable and don't raise your marginal rate. OAS is taxable but CPP and RRIF are too — pension income splitting with a lower-income spouse can reduce both income tax and OAS clawback.
Apply for GIS: GIS is not automatic if you filed taxes but didn't receive OAS at the time — apply via Service Canada if you think you qualify. Retroactive payments go back up to 11 months.
Methodology: GIS for a single person and for couples where both receive OAS or the partner receives no pension follows the Old Age Security Act reduction rates and ends at the published Service Canada cutoff. The Allowance and the GIS of a pensioner whose partner gets it follow the Act's Allowance rules (s.22 and s.22.1) and agree with Service Canada's former rate tables to within about $1 a month. OAS recovery tax follows the standard 15% formula above the net-income threshold ($95,323 in 2026). Rates effective Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026). Provincial top-ups use each province's published maximum and income test for the benefit year in progress; programs that publish no income formula are shown but not added. This is an estimate — apply through Service Canada for your exact benefit.
OAS + GIS maximum monthly amounts (Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026))
Current maximum benefits and the income at which each is reduced to zero. GIS, the Allowance, and the Allowance for the Survivor are non-taxable and re-indexed to CPI each quarter; OAS is taxable and subject to the recovery tax.
| Benefit | Max monthly | Reduced to $0 at |
|---|---|---|
| OAS pension, ages 65–74 | $762.50 | Recovery tax from $95,323 |
| OAS pension, ages 75+ | $838.75 | Recovery tax from $95,323 |
| GIS — single / widowed / divorced | $1138.90 | $23,112 income |
| GIS — couple, both receive OAS (each) | $685.56 | $30,528 combined |
| GIS — partner not receiving OAS | $1138.90 | $55,392 combined |
| Allowance (spouse aged 60–64) | $1448.06 | $42,768 combined |
| Allowance for the Survivor (60–64) | $1726.18 | $31,152 income |
GIS income cutoffs exclude OAS itself. The first $5,000 of employment/self-employment income is fully exempt from the GIS income test, plus 50% of the next $10,000.
Provincial top-ups for low-income seniors (2026)
Most provinces and territories add their own payment on top of GIS. Pick your province in the calculator and it adds the top-up wherever the province publishes how the amount is worked out. British Columbia, Manitoba and Yukon publish only a maximum, so the calculator shows their maximum but does not add it. Saskatchewan publishes only the maximum and the income where SIP stops, so its amount is a straight-line estimate.
| Province | Program | Maximum | In the calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | GAINS | $92/mo each (GIS recipients) | Added to your total |
| British Columbia | Senior's Supplement | $99.30/mo single, $110.25/mo each in a couple | Not added: no published income formula |
| Alberta | Alberta Seniors Benefit | $3,946/yr single, $5,918/yr couple | Added to your total |
| Saskatchewan | Seniors Income Plan | $360/mo single, $325/mo each in a couple | Added (estimate) |
| Manitoba | 55 PLUS | $161.80/quarter single | Not added: no published income formula |
| Quebec | Senior assistance tax credit (70+) | $2,000/yr, $4,000 for a couple both 70+ | Added to your total |
| New Brunswick | Low-Income Seniors' Benefit | $629/yr per household | Added to your total |
| Nova Scotia | None (provincial income tax refund instead) | — | — |
| Prince Edward Island | None | — | — |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Seniors' Benefit | $1,882/yr per family | Added to your total |
| Yukon | Seniors Income Supplement | up to $323.26/mo | Not added: no published income formula |
| Northwest Territories | Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit | $196/mo | Added to your total |
| Nunavut | Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit | $300/mo | Added to your total |
Worked example — single senior, $18,000 other income
A single 70-year-old receives the full $762.50/month OAS ($9,000 for the full year). Their net income is well under the $95,323 recovery threshold, so no OAS is clawed back.
They also have $18,000 of CPP and RRIF income. Because that is below the $23,112 single GIS cutoff, they still receive a partial GIS top-up (GIS reduces by roughly $1/month for every $24 of annual income). Drawing the same $18,000 from a TFSA instead would not count as income — preserving more GIS.
Related retirement tools
OAS Clawback Calculator
Focused look at the OAS recovery tax at any income level with income-step table.
CPP & OAS Start Age Calculator
When to start CPP and OAS — breakeven vs deferral bonus.
Full Retirement Income Calculator
Combined projection including TFSA and RRIF drawdown.
Pension Splitting Calculator
Split pension income with a spouse to reduce clawback.
Related Calculators
- OAS Clawback Calculator — Recovery tax details
- OAS and GIS Payment Amounts — This quarter's maximums and cut-offs
- CPP & OAS Start Age — When to start
- RRIF Minimum Withdrawal — Required withdrawals impact GIS
- TFSA Calculator — Tax-free income doesn't reduce GIS
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum GIS in 2026?
For Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026), the maximum monthly GIS is $1138.90 for a single, widowed, or divorced senior, $685.56 for each member of a couple where both receive OAS, and $1138.90 when a partner does not receive OAS. The Allowance for a spouse aged 60–64 is up to $1448.06/month. Rates are re-indexed quarterly to CPI.
At what income does GIS get fully clawed back?
GIS phases to $0 at these Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026) income cutoffs: $23,112 (single), $30,528 combined (couple both receiving OAS), $55,392 combined (couple with one partner not receiving OAS), and $42,768 combined (spouse receives the Allowance). Your CPP, RRIF and other taxable income count — OAS does not.
Does CPP affect GIS?
Yes — CPP is fully counted in the GIS income test. Every $24 of annual CPP (or other income) reduces monthly GIS by approximately $1. TFSA withdrawals are the only major retirement income source that does not reduce GIS.
Can I work and still get GIS?
Yes. The GIS employment-income exemption fully excludes the first $5,000 of earned or self-employment income and applies a 50% exemption to the next $10,000. So a GIS recipient earning up to $15,000 only has $5,000 counted for the income test.
Is GIS taxable?
No tax is payable on GIS or the Allowance, but they are not invisible on your return. They are shown in box 21 of your T4A(OAS) slip and must be reported as income at line 14600, so they form part of your total income and of your net income at line 23600. The other payments deduction at line 25000 then subtracts them when your taxable income is worked out — that is what makes them tax-free, rather than any exclusion from income. Because they sit in net income, they still count toward amounts that are income-tested on line 23600. OAS, by contrast, is fully taxable and subject to the recovery tax above $95,323.
OAS/GIS amounts (Q4 2026 (Oct–Dec 2026)) and the $95,323 recovery threshold verified against Service Canada.
When the money arrives: OAS payment dates 2026, with every monthly deposit date for the year.
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