Searching for Income Programs For Older Adults

Provides financial benefits to retired seniors

Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

• Provides a monthly taxable benefit to retired contributors

Old Age Security (OAS)

• Provides a monthly benefit available to most Canadians 65 years of age who meet the Canadian legal status and residence requirements

Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

• Provides a monthly non-taxable benefit to low-income OAS recipients living in Canada

Provides a monthly benefit to eligible Canadians who are unable to work at any job due to a disability

Financial benefits paid to a deceased contributor's estate, surviving spouse or common-law partner and dependent children

Death Benefit

• Provides a one-time payment to or on behalf of the estate of a deceased Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributor

Survivor's Pension

• Provides a monthly pension paid to the surviving spouse or common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor

Children's Benefit

• Provides a monthly benefit for the dependent children of a deceased CPP contributor

Provides legal advice and assistance to individuals who do not have the means to assert or defend their legal rights through the following services:

• Client representation in clinic areas of practice
• Free summary legal advice
• Information and referral
• Law reform advocacy
• Public education
• Specialized legal services

Services are offered in the following areas:

• Birth certificates
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability or Pension benefits
• Canada Child Benefits (CCB)
• Consumer and Credit/Debt issues
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB)
• Disability Tax benefits
• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Employment Standards (ESA)
• Human Rights
• Native Status applications
• Old Age Security (OAS)
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
• Ontario Works
• Residential Tenancies (tenants only)

Information on eligibility for British pensions and assistance with the application process

• lobbies British government for pension reform, including inflation indexing and reciprocity rights with Canadian pension system

Assists with applications for Canadian and other countries' pensions and benefits

• information on passports, permanent resident cards, income taxes, legal issues, Italian properties, power of attorney and succession

Assists with applications for Canadian and other pensions and benefits

• information on passports, permanent resident cards, income taxes, legal issues, Italian properties, power of attorney and succession

Assistance with Italian pensions applications

• legal advice
• notary public on-site
• assistance with documents

Monthly retirement pension, beginning as early as 60 years or as late as 70 years

• full pension if started at 65 years
• reduced pension if started before 65 years
• increased pension if started after 65 years

Post-Retirement Benefit -- for workers 60-70 years who continue to contribute to CPP while receiving a CPP pension

Disability benefits -- for contributors under 65 years

• allowance for dependent children

Survivor benefits -- monthly pension for surviving spouse or common law partner

• children's benefit for dependent children of deceased contributor
• death benefit (lump sum payment to estate, or persons responsible for funeral costs)

Amount of benefits payable is in proportion to contributions

• pension credits earned by either spouse may be divided equally (credit splitting) on termination of marriage or common law partnership

Social Security Tribunal, 1-877-227-8577 -- independent appeal process for Canada Pension Plan decisions

Program of Employment and Social Development Canada, delivered by Service Canada

Old Age Security (OAS)

• Monthly pension to legal residents of Canada 65 years and older
• full pension to those who have lived in Canada for at least 40 years after turning 18
• partial pension may be available

Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) -- Monthly supplement for low income OAS recipients living in Canada

Allowance -- Monthly benefit for low income spouses (60-64 years) of GIS recipients; based on combined income of the couple

Allowance for the Survivor -- Monthly benefit for low income widowed spouses 60-64 years

Social Security Tribunal, 1-877-227-8577 -- independent appeal process for Old Age Security decisions

Programs of Employment and Social Development Canada, delivered by Service Canada

Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS), 1-866-668-8297 -- monthly supplement to low income Ontario seniors receiving OAS and GIS

• program of the Ontario Ministry of Finance

One-stop service delivery for a wide range of federal programs and services

• labour market information
• information and referral on Employment Insurance, Social Insurance Numbers, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Veterans benefits, Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, Canada Education Savings Grant and others
• some Service Canada locations are passport receiving agents

For details on all federal and provincial benefits see Canada Benefits directory

For local Service Canada Centres see separate entries or office locator

Assists with applications for Canadian and other countries' pensions and benefits

• information on passports, permanent resident cards, income taxes, legal issues, Italian properties, power of attorney and succession

If you have lived or worked in Canada and in another country, or you are the survivor of someone who has lived or worked in Canada and in another country, you may be eligible for pensions and benefits from Canada and/or from the other country because of a social security agreement

• an international agreement between Canada and another country that is designed to coordinate the pension programs of the two countries for people who have lived or worked in both countries
• can help you qualify for benefits by allowing you to combine your periods of contribution or periods of residency in Canada with your periods of contribution or periods of residency in the other country to meet the minimum eligibility criteria
• can also reduce or eliminate restrictions based on citizenship or on payment of pensions abroad
• the requirements under the social security agreements vary from agreement to agreement
• for more information, see website

In person service available at local Service Canada Centres:

• Burlington
• Georgetown
• Milton
• Oakville

Old Age Security (OAS)

Monthly pension to persons 65 or over regardless of income or assets

• must be legal resident of Canada for at least 40 years to receive full pension
• also full pension for persons who were 25 years or older as of July 1, 1977, and who resided in or had a visa to enter Canada that was valid on that date, or who had resided legally in Canada prior to that date and after reaching age 18, and who resided in Canada immediately before approval of the application

Guaranteed Income Supplement

Supplement added monthly to Old Age Security for those with limited or no income

• amount of supplement is adjusted quarterly
• reapply when income taxes are filed (end of April)
• not payable outside Canada beyond a period of 6 months regardless of how long the person lived in Canada

Allowance

Monthly allowance for spouses 60-64 years of Old Age Security pensioners receiving Guaranteed Income Supplement

• based on combined income of the couple
• allowance is adjusted quarterly
• residence requirements
• proof of age required
• reapply when income taxes are filed (end of April)

Allowance for the Survivor

Monthly allowance for widowed spouses 60-65 years

• death, marriage and applicant's birth certificate required
• based on limited or no income
• deceased spouse need not have received Old Age Security
• apply when income taxes are filed (end of April)

Some seniors might not be able to afford their rent consider referring them to Home - Community Legal Services of Ottawa / or to the Services juridiques - CSC Vanier immediately for assistance

Programs of Human Resources and Social Development Canada, delivered by Service Canada)

Click here for the Benefits Payment Calendar