Know what you built
Your CPP is your earnings record, averaged. The 2026 maximum needs about 39 years at the ceiling; the average pension is $858.34. Your own number is in My Service Canada Account — start there.
Count your years
OAS pays for residence, not work: 40 years in Canada after 18 for the full pension, a proportional share for fewer. The fraction is set when your pension starts — delaying can add years until 70.
Mind the interactions
CPP income shrinks GIS. OAS vanishes at high incomes through the clawback. Deferring OAS switches GIS off. The pensions are separate; the planning is not.
About this site
CPP & OAS Decoded explains how Canada's two public pensions actually work: how the Canada Pension Plan turns a career of contributions into a monthly amount, how Old Age Security turns years of residence into one, and how the two interact with the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the OAS recovery tax, and CPP's survivor and disability benefits.
Every figure is dated and sourced: CPP amounts are Service Canada's published figures for 2026, contribution ceilings are the Canada Revenue Agency's for 2026, and OAS amounts are given for the specific quarter they belong to (this site's current quarter: October to December 2026), because OAS is re-indexed every three months. Figures checked October 2026.
Educational information only. Nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice for your situation. Pension start-age decisions are personal and largely permanent; base yours on your own Statement of Contributions and, where the sums are large, professional advice. Questions about the site: hello [at] tapetoolhq.com
Frequently asked questions
Our Network
Plain-English explainer sites from the same publishers — every topic in its own home, every guide free to read.