From July to September 2026, the maximum Old Age Security (OAS) Allowance is $1,428.06 per month. That is the most an eligible person can receive, not a standard payment for everyone. Your actual amount depends mainly on the combined income of you and your spouse or common-law partner. The Allowance is available to qualifying people aged 60 to 64 whose spouse or common-law partner receives the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the full OAS pension. The separate OAS Allowance eligibility rules determine whether you can receive the benefit at all.
How Income Changes Your OAS Allowance
For the July to September 2026 quarter, your combined annual income as a couple must be less than $42,144 to receive the Allowance. As income rises, the payment is gradually reduced rather than everyone below the limit receiving the maximum.
The calculation uses income reported for the relevant base year under the Old Age Security Act. Because the reduction is calculated across detailed income bands, the simplest way to find the payment corresponding to a particular income is to use the official OAS benefit tables or the OAS Benefits Estimator. The estimator uses the current July to September 2026 rates and asks for information such as income, marital status and details about your spouse or common-law partner.
One useful exception applies when your financial situation changes substantially. If you or your spouse retires, or another pension is reduced or stops, your Allowance payment may be calculated using an estimate of current-year income instead of the previous year’s income. That can matter when an older tax return no longer reflects what the household is actually earning.
The Maximum Allowance Can Change Every Three Months
Allowance rates are reviewed four times a year, in January, April, July and October, to account for increases in the cost of living. Payments can rise when the cost of living increases, but they do not fall when the cost of living decreases. That quarterly adjustment is why the $1,428.06 maximum applies specifically to July through September 2026. The amount may change beginning in October 2026. The same quarterly adjustment system applies to other benefits under the Old Age Security program.
Once you know the current maximum, check your household income rather than using that figure as your expected payment. If you qualify and have not started the process, the next step is applying for the OAS Allowance.
Other Questions About OAS Allowance Amounts
Is the OAS Allowance taxable?
No. The Allowance is a non-taxable benefit, so you do not include the payment as taxable income.
Does the Allowance amount change when your spouse’s income changes?
It can. The calculation uses the couple’s combined income, so a change in either partner’s income can affect the amount payable during the applicable payment period.
What happens to the payment when you turn 65?
The Allowance stops when you become eligible for OAS at age 65. At that point, your benefits are determined under the OAS and, where applicable, GIS rules rather than the Allowance rules. You can read about how much OAS and GIS you may receive separately.
