Chapterwise retirement guide

When Does This Chapter Begin?

CPP can start at 60 to 70, OAS at 65 to 70. Here's how the timing decisions work in Canada and why they shouldn't always start together.

Reviewed against Government of Canada sources · Updated September 7, 2026 · 4 minute read

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Somewhere in the middle of retirement planning, a question shows up that looks simple and isn't: when should you actually start collecting your government benefits? For Canadians, that mostly means two decisions, when to start CPP and when to start OAS, and while they get talked about like a single choice, they're really two separate chapters with their own timing.

The CPP decision

CPP can start any time between age 60 and 70. Start early and the payment is permanently reduced, by as much as 36% at age 60. Wait past 65 and it's permanently increased, by as much as 42% at age 70. There's no undoing the choice once it's made, which is exactly why it deserves more thought than "start it as soon as I can" or "wait as long as possible."

The honest answer is that there isn't a universal right age. Someone in excellent health with other income to lean on in their sixties often benefits from waiting, locking in a larger, inflation-protected payment for the rest of their life. Someone who needs the income sooner, or whose family health history points toward a shorter horizon, may be better served starting earlier. It's a decision that depends on your own chapter, not a rule that applies to everyone equally.

Chapterwise financial timeline showing income, withdrawals, spending, and net worth by year — Chapterwise financial timeline: follow income, withdrawals, spending, and net worth year by year.

The OAS decision

OAS runs on its own timeline. It can't start before 65, but like CPP, it can be delayed up to age 70 for a permanent increase. It also comes with a wrinkle CPP doesn't have: OAS can be reduced through a clawback if your income in retirement climbs high enough, which means the decision isn't purely about your own health and longevity. It's also about how your income is shaped in those years, and whether a large RRIF withdrawal or other income might trigger a clawback you'd rather avoid.

A smaller first step

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Why the two decisions interact

CPP and OAS don't have to start at the same time, and often shouldn't. Some people draw down RRSP or RRIF savings in their early sixties specifically so they can afford to delay both benefits, arriving at a later start age with a larger, more secure income for the rest of retirement. Others coordinate the two benefits with a spouse's timing, or with when RRIF withdrawals become mandatory, to keep the whole picture balanced.

Writing this chapter on purpose

The timing of CPP and OAS isn't a form you fill out on autopilot. It's one of the more consequential chapters in the whole retirement story, and it's worth working through deliberately, ideally with a clear picture of your full income plan, rather than deciding in isolation.

This article is for general educational purposes and reflects rules and figures believed accurate as of 2026. It isn't personalized financial advice, and amounts and thresholds change annually; confirm your own figures through Service Canada or a financial professional before making a decision.