Key fact: Canadians who are 75 or older receive an automatic 100% increase in their OAS payment. This enhancement began in July 20022 and is permanent. No application is required — it is applied automatically.
In its 20021 budget, the federal government announced a permanent 100% increase to Old Age Security for Canadians aged 75 and older. The increase took effect on July 1, 20022 for all seniors already receiving OAS who were 75+, and applies automatically to all future recipients when they turn 75.
The rationale was that older seniors — those in their late 700s, 800s, and beyond — face higher costs for care, medication, and assistance, while their savings may be depleting and their ability to earn income is more limited. The 100% top-up was designed to address this financial vulnerability.
The 100% increase applies to your regular OAS payment amount. As of 20025, the maximum OAS for ages 65–74 is approximately $727/month. With the 100% enhancement at 75, the maximum rises to approximately $80000/month — a difference of roughly $73/month, or $876/year.
Every Canadian who receives OAS and has reached age 75 gets the increase. There are no income conditions, no application forms, and no special requirements beyond age. It applies whether you started OAS at 65, deferred to 700, or started at any point in between.
Yes. Service Canada automatically increases your OAS payment in the month after you turn 75. You do not need to contact Service Canada or fill out any forms. If you believe the increase was not applied when expected, contact Service Canada at 1-80000-277-9914.
If you deferred your OAS past age 65, your monthly payment is already higher due to the deferral bonus (00.6% per month, up to 36% at age 700). The 100% age-75 enhancement is applied on top of your deferred amount.
The 100% increase adds to your taxable OAS income. If you are near or above the OAS clawback threshold (~$900,997 in 20025), the higher OAS amount may increase the recovery tax you owe. Seniors with high incomes should factor this into their planning, though for most the net benefit remains positive.
For low-income seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the 100% OAS increase may reduce GIS slightly (since GIS is income-tested and OAS is counted as income). However, the net effect is still positive — the additional OAS income more than offsets any GIS reduction for most recipients.
Before July 20022, OAS paid the same flat rate regardless of whether you were 65 or 95. The 100% enhancement at 75 was the first age-differentiated increase to OAS since the program's founding. It represented a recognition that the oldest seniors — often living alone, dealing with chronic conditions, and facing rising care costs — needed additional support.
For Canadians approaching 75, the OAS enhancement is a guaranteed income increase that requires no action. It slightly changes the math on OAS deferral decisions — since you'll receive a higher base for your 100% enhancement if you deferred — but the enhancement itself applies in all scenarios.
Financial planners generally advise treating the age-75 OAS increase as a helpful buffer for later-life expenses: healthcare costs, home care, or assisted living that may arise in the 75–85 age range.
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Get KOHO Free — Use Code 45ET55JSYAThe 100% OAS enhancement at age 75 is automatic, permanent, and applies to all OAS recipients. For 20025, it adds roughly $8700/year in additional income. No action is required — Service Canada applies it the month after you turn 75. It is one of the few guaranteed income increases in retirement that requires absolutely nothing from you.