CPP and OAS payment dates 2026
CPP and OAS are paid on the same day each month, usually the third-to-last business day. The last three payments of 2026 are October 28, November 26 and December 22. All twelve dates, and 2025 for comparison, are below, taken from Service Canada’s published calendar.
Next CPP + OAS payment
—
December payment
Dec 22 (early)
Max CPP at 65 (2026)
$1,507.65/mo
Max OAS 65–74 (Oct–Dec)
$762.50/mo
When is CPP paid in 2026? The full calendar
One calendar covers both programs: the CPP retirement pension, disability, children’s and survivor benefits, and the OAS pension, GIS, Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor.
Source: Canada.ca — Benefits payment dates (Service Canada), checked 24 September 2026. The 2027 dates will be added when Service Canada publishes them.
Why the CPP payment date changes every month
There is no fixed day of the month. Every January-to-November date in 2025 and 2026, 22 of 22, falls on the third-to-last business day of the month. To work one out, find the last weekday of the month and count back two more business days, skipping any federal statutory holiday. That is why the payment wanders between about the 25th and the 29th, and lands on a different weekday each time.
September shows the holiday effect. 30 September is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal holiday, so it does not count. In 2026 the last three business days are therefore the 25th, 28th and 29th, and the payment is Friday, September 25, not Monday the 28th.
December is the exception: December 22 in both years, ahead of the holiday closures. The gap to the January payment is longer than usual, so budget for it. This pattern is our reading of the published dates, not a rule Service Canada states; the calendar above is the authority.
Why were CPP and OAS paid on a Friday?
News headlines about a "Friday disbursement" describe the same calendar, not a change to it. Because the payment falls on the third-to-last business day, it lands on a different weekday each month, and in 2026 it fell on a Friday three times: March 27, June 26 and September 25. The September payment moved to Friday the 25th only because the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on 30 September is not a business day.
A Friday payment is neither early nor extra. Payments are issued that day, a cheque takes longer than direct deposit, and Service Canada still asks you to wait 5 to 10 business days before reporting a missing payment. None of the remaining 2026 payments is on a Friday: Wednesday, October 28; Thursday, November 26; Tuesday, December 22.
How much is each CPP and OAS payment in 2026?
CPP: the maximum retirement pension starting at 65 in 2026 is $1,507.65 a month. The average for new beneficiaries at 65 was $858.34 (July 2026). Your amount is set by your contribution history and start age, and it is indexed once a year, in January. See it by start age on our average CPP payment by age page, or estimate your own with the CPP calculator.
OAS: for October–December 2026 the maximum is $762.50 a month at 65–74 and $838.75 at 75 and over. OAS is indexed every quarter, and canada.ca confirms a 1.4% increase for October to December 2026 (from $751.97). The October 28 payment is the first at the new rate. Our Old Age Security guide explains the clawback and deferral.
On a low income, the Guaranteed Income Supplement arrives on the same date as OAS. It is not taxable, and CPP and OAS both are. The quarterly Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST credit) is paid on a separate CRA calendar: see the GST credit payment dates.
My CPP or OAS payment hasn’t arrived. What now?
Payments are issued on the listed date but can take a few days to reach you, and a posted cheque takes longer than direct deposit. Service Canada asks you to wait 5 to 10 business days before contacting it. If it has been longer, check My Service Canada Account that your address and banking details are current. Switching to direct deposit removes the mail delay entirely. Wintering in the US? Direct deposit keeps landing in your Canadian account while you are away; count your US days against the 183-day tax test with the snowbird day counter.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next CPP payment in 2026?+
The last three CPP payments of 2026 are October 28, November 26 and December 22 (Service Canada), and September's is September 25. The full 2026 calendar is January 28, February 25, March 27, April 28, May 27, June 26, July 29, August 27, September 25, October 28, November 26 and December 22. Payments are issued on these dates, but a deposit can take a few days to show, and a mailed cheque longer.
Why were CPP and OAS paid on a Friday?+
Because that is where the usual rule landed. CPP and OAS are paid on the third-to-last business day of the month, so the weekday changes every month. In 2026 that fell on a Friday three times: March 27, June 26 and September 25. September moved to Friday the 25th because 30 September (the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) is a federal holiday. A Friday payment is not early or special, and none of the remaining 2026 payments is on a Friday: Wednesday, October 28; Thursday, November 26; Tuesday, December 22.
Are CPP and OAS paid on the same day?+
Yes. In both 2025 and 2026 Service Canada publishes identical dates for the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security. They are separate benefits, so if you receive both you will see two separate payments on the same day rather than one combined deposit.
Are GIS and CPP disability paid on the same dates?+
Yes. The OAS dates cover the OAS pension, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor. The CPP dates cover the retirement pension plus CPP disability, children's and survivor benefits. All of them follow the same 2026 calendar.
Why is the December CPP payment early?+
December is the one month that breaks the usual pattern. From January to November the payment lands on the third-to-last business day of the month, but December's is brought forward to December 22 (in both 2025 and 2026), ahead of the Christmas and Boxing Day closures. That makes the gap to the January payment longer than usual, so budget for it.
Is OAS going up in October 2026?+
Yes. OAS rose 1.4% for the October to December 2026 quarter, 3.0% over the year from October 2025 (canada.ca). For October–December 2026 the maximum OAS pension is $762.50 a month at 65–74, up from $751.97, and $838.75 at 75 and over. The October 28 payment is the first at the new rate. CPP is indexed once a year, in January, not quarterly.
What should I do if my CPP or OAS payment is late?+
Service Canada asks you to wait 5 to 10 business days after the payment date before contacting it, because payments are issued on the listed date but may take a few days to arrive, and posted cheques take longer than direct deposit. If you are still on cheques, switching to direct deposit through My Service Canada Account is the most reliable fix.
Related Canadian retirement tools
CPP Calculator →
Your CPP at 60, 65 or 70, with the early cut and the delay bonus.
OAS Calculator →
OAS by years of residence, deferral to 70 and the recovery tax.
GIS Calculator →
Guaranteed Income Supplement from Service Canada's own table.
Average Retirement Income →
What Canadian retirees actually live on, by source.
Written by Pepper, Richify's AI Financial Architect — an AI author, presented as one · Editorial standards. Sources: Service Canada benefits payment calendar and OAS payment amounts (canada.ca), checked 24 September 2026. For information only; your own payment date and amount are on My Service Canada Account.
