Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan

February 2010
Information for beneficiaries residing outside Canada

February 2010 - Information for beneficiaries residing outside Canada (PDF version, 319 kb)

Catalogue number ISPB-120-02-10

• What You Should Know
• Are you getting the most you can from the Canada Pension Plan?
• Have you applied for your Old Age Security benefits?
• International benefits
• Speed up transactions online! Create your own My Service Canada Account
• Do you have questions about your Canadian taxes?
• Be sure to tell Service Canada if:
• How to contact Service Canada

What You Should Know

This information sheet is being sent to you along with your NR4-OAS tax information slip or your NR4 tax information slip. These tax information slips are for Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) beneficiaries residing outside Canada.

If you elect to file a Canadian income tax return, or if you are required to file an Old Age Security Return of Income, you must include these tax information slips with your return. You will also need to include these slips if you report OAS or CPP pensions in a tax return for another country. If you lived in Canada at any time during 2009, you may also receive a T4A(OAS) tax information slip or a T4A(P) tax information slip.

Are you getting the most you can from the Canada Pension Plan?

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) pays retirement, survivor, death, disability, and children’s benefits to those who qualify.

• The CPP offers you flexibility with respect to the age you retire. You may apply to start receiving your pension any time between ages 60 and 70. Currently, the CPP permanently reduces the pension amount by 0.5 percent per month if you decide to take your pension before reaching age 65. If you decide to take your pension between ages 65 and 70, the CPP permanently increases the pension amount by 0.5 percent per month. At present, the maximum adjustment that may be made to your pension, up or down, is 30 percent. This adjustment is calculated from the time you start receiving your pension. Generally, this means that if you are willing and able to continue working and contributing to the CPP, you will receive a larger pension.
• If you are a surviving spouse or common-law partner of a CPP contributor, you may be eligible for a monthly survivor benefit. Dependent children up to the age of 25 may also be eligible (those between 18 and 25 must be attending school full-time). The CPP also offers a lump-sum death benefit to the estate of qualifying contributors to help with funeral expenses.
• If you are a CPP contributor under the age of 65 and cannot work at any job because of a severe and prolonged physical and/or mental disability, you may be eligible for basic earnings replacement in the form of monthly benefits provided by the Canada Pension Plan Disability program.
• If you have children born after 1958, the child-rearing provision may help you receive a higher CPP benefit amount.
• If you divorce or separate, CPP contributions made by both you and your spouse or common-law partner during your marriage or common-law relationship can be divided equally between you for the period of time you lived together. This division of contributions is called “credit splitting.”
• If both you and your spouse or common-law partner are age 60 or older, you can apply to share your CPP retirement pensions. Pension sharing can result in income tax savings.

Have you applied for your Old Age Security benefits?

The Old Age Security program provides income security to Canadian seniors.

If you currently live outside Canada, you can apply for the Old Age Security pension provided you are 65 or older and have lived in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18. You can apply as early as one year before your 65th birthday.

If you have not lived in Canada for at least 20 years but have lived or worked in a country that has a social security agreement with Canada, you may meet the 20-year residence requirement under the provisions of that agreement.

International benefits

If you lived or worked in a country that has a social security agreement with Canada, you or your family may be eligible for old age, disability, or survivor benefits from that country, from Canada, or from both. From Canada or the United States, contact Service Canada at 1‑800‑454‑8731 or visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca. If you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1‑800‑255‑4786.

From outside Canada and the United States:

CALL

• 613‑957‑1954 (collect calls accepted)

BY MAIL

• International Operations
  Service Canada
  Ottawa ON  K1A 0L4
  CANADA

Speed up transactions online!
Create your own My Service Canada Account

My Service Canada Account is a fast and convenient way to securely:

• view and print your Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan tax information slips sooner;
• view your most recent payment amounts; and
• view your address or your direct deposit information.

To access Service Canada’s online service, you will need to obtain a personal access code, which may take 5 to 10 business days to receive by mail. You can then register for a Government of Canada epass user ID and password. For more information on the registration process and how to use this service, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca and select “Access My Service Canada Account.”

Do you have questions about your Canadian taxes?

Contact the Canada Revenue Agency

CLICK

• www.cra.gc.ca

CALL

• 1‑800‑267‑5177 (toll-free in Canada and the United States)
  613‑952‑3741 (call collect from all other countries)

FAX

• 613‑941‑2505 (International Tax Services Office)

Be sure to tell Service Canada if:

• you move or your banking information changes;
• someone in your family who receives benefits is no longer eligible or dies;
• your marital status changes while you are receiving benefits; or
• a child under 18 for whom you receive a Canada Pension Plan benefit enters or leaves your custody (by birth, adoption, marriage, common-law relationship, death, or other circumstances).

How to contact Service Canada

CLICK

• servicecanada.gc.ca

CALL

• 1‑800‑277‑9914 (toll-free in Canada and the United States)
  If you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1‑800‑255‑4786.
  
  
• 613‑957‑1954 (call collect from outside Canada and the United States)

We will need your Social Insurance Number to access your information.

For more information of interest to seniors, please visit www.seniors.gc.ca.