Old Age Security
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The Old Age Securitypension (or OAS or OAS-GIS) is a taxable monthly social security payment available to most Canadians 65 years of age or older with individual income less than $114,815. As of January 2016, the basic amount is $570.52 per month. At tax time, recipients with a 2014 income of over $71,592 must pay back a portion of their Old Age Security at a rate of 15% of net income. This is often referred to as the "OAS clawback". OAS amounts are indexed to the Canadian Consumer Price Index and are adjusted (generally, increased) four times per year.
In March 2012, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper announced in its budget that the age to qualify for OAS would be increased to 67 from 65 starting in April 2023 and phased in over six years. The changes affect seniors born in 1958 or later. However, the income amounts were not changed, thus under the Harper changes a senior aged 67 earning $71,592 or less would receive the full OAS amount of $6,764.88 per year, while a senior aged 65 or 66 would receive nothing. The CPI indexing was not changed, thus these amounts would likely increase significantly by 2023 to 2029.