Learn more about the Allowance
Question & Answer
What government benefits are there for seniors other than OAS?The is a monthly benefit for people:
- who are living on a low , and
- whose spouse or is getting and the .
You don’t pay taxes on the Allowance. But OAS is taxable income.
Who’s eligible
If your spouse or common-law partner gets the GIS, you may be able to get the Allowance if all of the following are true:
- you’re 60 to 64 years old
- you’re a Canadian citizen or legal resident when you apply for the Allowance
- your or the combined net income of you and your spouse or common-law partner is below a certain amount
- you live in Canada and meet what’s called the “minimum residency requirement”, which mean you’ve lived here for 10 years since you were 18 years old
Sometimes, even if you don’t meet the minimum residency requirement, you may be eligible to get a partial Allowance. This would apply to you if you’ve lived or worked in a country that Canada has a social security agreement with.
You might also get the Allowance if your spouse or common-law partner is eligible for OAS and the GIS but is not getting them because they’re in prison.
A who was sponsored to Canada and is still under a usually can’t get the Allowance. If you were sponsored, read more in the step called Find out how benefits can be affected if you’re a sponsored immigrant.
How to apply
You must apply in writing for the Allowance. Complete and mail in:
- the Guaranteed Income Supplement or Statement of Income for the Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor application form, and
- the Application for the Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor form.
How much you can get
The amount of the Allowance you get depends on:
- your net income, and
- the net income of your spouse or common-law partner.
To continue getting the Allowance, you must file your income taxes every year so the government knows if you’re still eligible. It’s best to file by the April 30 deadline to avoid delays.
You can check the government’s tables to get a general idea of how much you can get.
You stop getting the Allowance when you turn 65.