Receiving Benefits

Once we approve your application for the GIS, we will add it to your OAS pension payment each month.

Once your application for the Allowance or the Allowance for the Survivor is approved, your benefit will begin the month after one of these dates, whichever is latest:

• your 60th birthday;
• when you meet the residence and income requirements;
• when your spouse or common-law partner qualifies for the GIS; or
• when your spouse or common-law partner dies (in the case of the Allowance for the Survivor).

If you apply late for benefits, we may be able to give you a retroactive payment for up to a maximum of 11 months.

What day of the month can I expect my payment to arrive in the mail?

Payments by mail usually arrive in the last three banking days of each month. If your payment is more than a week late or if you lose your cheque, please contact us.

Can you deposit the payment directly into my bank account?

Yes. We can deposit your payment directly into your bank account in Canada through our direct deposit service. Direct deposit offers several advantages:

• Your deposit is always on time and you can start using the money or earning interest immediately.
• Your payment is automatically deposited into your account, even if you are ill or away.
• Your payment is never lost, stolen, or damaged.

If you are already receiving benefits by cheque and want to switch to direct deposit, you can sign up over the telephone. When you contact us, in addition to your Social Insurance Number, be sure to have your banking information available, including the institution name and number, the branch number, and your account number. You can find this information on your personal cheques or on your bank statement.

If you prefer to sign up by mail, you have to fill out the "Government of Canada Direct Deposit Enrolment Request Form." You can get this form at any Canadian bank or financial institution. You can also print an enrolment form for direct deposit in Canada from our Web site or you can contact us and we will send you a form.

What should I do if I move?

If you are planning to move, you need to tell us your new address and postal code as soon as possible. This will allow us to update our records and make sure your payment gets to you on time. Even if your payments are deposited directly into your bank account, we need to know your new address so we can send you information and your yearly T4A (OAS) income tax slip.

To change your address and direct deposit information online, access My Service Canada Account. For information on how to use the service, see "Online services".

Can I receive my benefits outside Canada?

If you are receiving the GIS, the Allowance, or the Allowance for the Survivor and you spend more than six months in a row outside Canada, we will make payments for the month you leave and for the six months after that. Then payments will stop. For example, if you left Canada in January, we would send payments until the end of July. After July, the payments would stop.

If you stay outside the country for a longer period, then return to reside in Canada, contact us and we will review your eligibility for these benefits.

What happens if the cost of living goes up?

We will increase your pension payments to reflect increases in the cost of living as measured by the Consumer Price Index. We apply any increases every three months—in January, April, July, and October. Your monthly payment will not be reduced if the cost of living goes down.

What happens if my income drops?

In some situations, such as when you stop working or when your other pension income stops or decreases, we can calculate your GIS, Allowance, or Allowance for the Survivor benefits by estimating your income for the current year, instead of using last year’s income. If you or your spouse or common-law partner has a lower income this year, you should let us know. Your benefits may increase.

Can my benefits stop?

We stop paying your GIS, Allowance, or Allowance for the Survivor when you die or if one of the following events occurs:

• You have not filed an individual income tax and benefit return with the Canada Revenue Agency, or we have not received by the end of June each year the information on your income (or combined income) for the previous year.
• You have reached the age of 65, so your Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor will stop (however, you may be eligible to apply for the OAS pension and the GIS).
• You receive the Allowance and you voluntarily separate from your spouse or common-law partner.
• You leave Canada for more than six months in a row.
• Your income—or, in the case of a married or common-law couple, your combined income—is above a certain level.
• You qualified for the Allowance for the Survivor because your spouse or common-law partner died, then you remarried or began a common-law relationship.
• You are incarcerated in a federal penitentiary for a sentence of two years or longer, or in a provincial or territorial correctional facility for a sentence of more than 90 days when an information-sharing agreement is in place. Your payments would resume the month of your release.