Canada Seniors Benefits After 50: What You Need to Know and How to Apply

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Canada offers a range of benefits and programs to support seniors who are 50 years of age and over. These benefits aim to provide income security, health care, and social services to seniors who meet certain eligibility criteria. In this article, we will explore some of the main types of benefits for senates and their eligibility requirements, as well as some provincial and territorial programs that may be available to seniors in Manitoba.

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Key Takeaways

Canada seniors benefits are part of the retirement income system in Canada, which consists of three pillars: the OAS program, the CPP, and private savings.
The OAS program provides a basic monthly income to seniors who are 65 years of age and older, regardless of their work history or income level. The OAS program also includes the GIS, which provides additional income to low-income seniors, and the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor, which provide income support to spouses and common-law partners of OAS recipients who are 60 to 64 years of age.
The CPP is a contributory social insurance program that provides monthly benefits to retired, disabled, or deceased contributors and their families. The CPP provides retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor benefits, and post-retirement benefits to eligible individuals who have made contributions to the plan during their working years.
In addition to the federal benefits, seniors who live in Manitoba may be eligible for some provincial and territorial programs that provide financial assistance, health care, and social services. Some of these programs are the 55 PLUS Program, the Manitoba Seniors’ School Tax Rebate, the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit, and the Manitoba Home Care Program.
To apply for benefits, visit the Government of Canada website or contact Service Canada. For more information and to apply for provincial and territorial programs, visit the Manitoba government website or contact the Manitoba Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat.

Understanding Canada Seniors Benefits

Canada seniors benefits are part of the retirement income system in Canada, which consists of three pillars:

The first pillar is the Old Age Security (OAS) program, which provides a basic monthly income to seniors who are 65 years of age and older, regardless of their work history or income level. The OAS program also includes the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), which provides additional income to low-income seniors, and the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor, which provide income support to spouses and common-law partners of OAS recipients who are 60 to 64 years of age.
The second pillar is the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which is a contributory social insurance program that provides monthly benefits to retired, disabled, or deceased contributors and their families. The CPP covers all provinces and territories except Quebec, which operates its own Quebec Pension Plan (QPP). The CPP provides retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor benefits, and post-retirement benefits to eligible individuals who have made contributions to the plan during their working years.
The third pillar is private savings, which include personal savings, investments, employer-sponsored pension plans, and registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs). These sources of income are voluntary and depend on the individual’s financial situation and preferences.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Types of Benefits for Senates and Eligibility

The following are some of the main types of benefits for senates and their eligibility requirements. Note that these are general guidelines and may not apply to every individual’s situation. For more information and to apply for benefits, visit the Government of Canada website¹ or contact Service Canada².

Old Age Security Pensions (OAS)

The OAS pension is a monthly payment that you can receive if you are 65 years of age and older, live in Canada, and meet the legal status and residence requirements. The amount of the OAS pension depends on how long you have lived in Canada after the age of 18. The maximum monthly OAS pension amount for January to March 2024 is $713.34³. You can receive the OAS pension even if you are still working or have never worked.

To qualify for the OAS pension, you must:

be 65 years of age or older
be a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada on the day before your application is approved
have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18
if you live outside Canada, you must have been a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada on the day before you left Canada, and have lived in Canada for at least 20 years since the age of 18

You can apply for the OAS pension up to 12 months before your 65th birthday or the date you want to start receiving the pension. In some cases, you may be automatically enrolled for the OAS pension and receive a notification letter from Service Canada. If you are not automatically enrolled, you will need to fill out an application form and submit it to Service Canada.

Allowance for Spouses and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

The Allowance and the GIS are monthly payments that provide additional income to low-income seniors who receive the OAS pension. The amount of the Allowance and the GIS depends on your marital status, your income, and your spouse’s or common-law partner’s income and benefits.

To qualify for the Allowance, you must:

be 60 to 64 years of age
live in Canada
be a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada
have an annual income below the maximum income threshold for the Allowance
have a spouse or common-law partner who receives the OAS pension and the GIS

To qualify for the GIS, you must:

be 65 years of age or older
live in Canada
be a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada
receive the OAS pension
have an annual income below the maximum income threshold for the GIS

You can apply for the Allowance or the GIS when you apply for the OAS pension or at any time after you start receiving the OAS pension. You will need to provide information about your income and your spouse’s or common-law partner’s income and benefits. You will also need to renew your application every year by filing your income tax return or by completing a renewal form.

Benefits for Seniors 55 and Over in Manitoba

In addition to the federal benefits, seniors who live in Manitoba may be eligible for some provincial and territorial programs that provide financial assistance, health care, and social services. Some of these programs are:

The 55 PLUS Program, which is a Manitoba income supplement that provides quarterly benefits to lower-income seniors who are 55 years of age and over, and whose incomes are within certain levels. Eligibility is based on income reported in your tax return from the previous year. Applications can be submitted anytime during the year⁴.
The Manitoba Seniors’ School Tax Rebate, which is a refundable tax credit that reduces or eliminates the school taxes paid by seniors who own or rent their principal residence in Manitoba. The maximum rebate amount for 2024 is $2,500. To be eligible, you must be 65 years of age or older by the end of the year, and have paid or incurred school taxes on your principal residence in Manitoba⁵.
The Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit, which is a refundable tax credit that provides up to $1,400 per year to individuals who provide ongoing care and support to a family member, friend, or neighbour who needs assistance with daily living activities. To be eligible, you must be designated as a primary caregiver by a health professional, and provide care for at least 90 days in the year⁶.
The Manitoba Home Care Program, which is a program that provides home health care and support services to seniors who have health needs that cannot be met on their own or by their families. Services include personal care, nursing, therapy, home support, and respite care. Eligibility is based on an assessment of your health needs and your ability to pay for services⁷.

CPP, or Canada Pension Plan

The CPP is a contributory social insurance program that provides monthly benefits to retired, disabled, or deceased contributors and their families. The CPP covers all provinces and territories except Quebec, which operates its own Quebec Pension Plan (QPP). The CPP provides retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor benefits, and post-retirement benefits to eligible individuals who have made contributions to the plan during their working years.

To qualify for the CPP retirement pension, you must:

be at least 60 years of age
have made at least one valid contribution to the CPP

Valid contributions can be either from work you did in Canada, or as the result of receiving credits from a former spouse or former common-law partner at the end of the relationship.

You can apply for the CPP retirement pension up to 12 months before you want to start receiving it. The amount of the CPP retirement pension depends on your average earnings throughout your working life, your contributions to the CPP, and the age you decide to start your CPP retirement pension. The standard age to start the pension is 65. However, you can start receiving it as early as age 60 or as late as age 70. If you start receiving your pension earlier, the monthly amount you’ll receive will be smaller. If you decide to start later, you’ll receive a larger monthly amount. The maximum monthly CPP pension amount for 2024 is $1,203.75⁸.

To qualify for the CPP disability benefit, you must:

be under 65 years of age
have a severe and prolonged disability that prevents you from working regularly
have made enough contributions to the CPP in the recent years before you became disabled

You can apply for the CPP disability benefit as soon as you develop a severe and prolonged disability. The amount of the CPP disability benefit depends on your contributions to the CPP and the average CPP retirement pension amount. The maximum monthly CPP disability benefit amount for 2024 is $1,387.66⁹.

To qualify for the CPP survivor benefit, you must:

be the legal spouse or common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor
be living with the deceased contributor at the time of their death

You can apply for the CPP survivor benefit as soon as possible after the death of the contributor. The amount of the CPP survivor benefit depends on your age, your income, and the deceased contributor’s CPP retirement pension amount. The maximum monthly CPP survivor benefit amount for 2024 is $722.25[^10^].

To qualify for the CPP post-retirement benefit, you must:

be 60 to 70 years of age
be receiving the CPP retirement pension
be working and contributing to the CPP

You do not need to apply for the CPP post-retirement benefit. You will automatically receive it the year following your year of contributions. The amount of the CPP post-retirement benefit depends on your earnings and your age. The maximum monthly CPP post-retirement benefit amount for 2024 is for 2024 is $32.79.

Allowance for the Survivor:

The Allowance for the Survivor is a monthly payment that provides income support to low-income seniors who are 60 to 64 years of age and whose spouse or common-law partner has died. The amount of the Allowance for the Survivor depends on your income and the maximum income threshold for the benefit.

To qualify for the Allowance for the Survivor, you must:

be 60 to 64 years of age
live in Canada
be a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada
have an annual income below the maximum income threshold for the Allowance for the Survivor
have a spouse or common-law partner who has died and who received or was eligible to receive the OAS pension and the GIS

You can apply for the Allowance for the Survivor when you apply for the OAS pension or at any time after your spouse or common-law partner has died. You will need to provide information about your income and your spouse’s or common-law partner’s income and benefits. You will also need to renew your application every year by filing your income tax return or by completing a renewal form.

CPP Benefits for Survivors

The CPP benefits for survivors are monthly payments that provide income support to the surviving spouse or common-law partner and the dependent children of a deceased CPP contributor. The CPP benefits for survivors include the survivor’s pension, the children’s benefit, and the death benefit.

To qualify for the CPP survivor’s pension, you must:

be the legal spouse or common-law partner of a deceased CPP contributor
be at least 35 years of age, or have a dependent child, or have a disability

You can apply for the CPP survivor’s pension as soon as possible after the death of the contributor. The amount of the CPP survivor’s pension depends on your age, your income, and the deceased contributor’s CPP retirement or disability pension amount. The maximum monthly CPP survivor’s pension amount for 2024 is $722.25.

To qualify for the CPP children’s benefit, you must:

be the biological or adopted child of a deceased CPP contributor
be under 18 years of age, or between 18 and 25 years of age and attending school full-time

You can apply for the CPP children’s benefit as soon as possible after the death of the contributor. The amount of the CPP children’s benefit is a flat rate for each eligible child. The monthly CPP children’s benefit amount for 2024 is $266.43.

To qualify for the CPP death benefit, you must:

be the estate of a deceased CPP contributor
or be the person who paid for the funeral expenses of the deceased CPP contributor
or be the surviving spouse or common-law partner of the deceased CPP contributor
or be the next of kin of the deceased CPP contributor

You can apply for the CPP death benefit as soon as possible after the death of the contributor. The amount of the CPP death benefit is a one-time payment that is calculated based on the deceased contributor’s earnings and contributions to the CPP. The maximum CPP death benefit amount for 2024 is $3,500.

Benefits after Retirement from CPP (PRB)

The PRB is a monthly payment that provides an increase to your CPP retirement pension if you continue to work and contribute to the CPP while receiving your CPP retirement pension. The PRB is calculated based on your earnings and contributions to the CPP after you start receiving your CPP retirement pension.

To qualify for the PRB, you must:

be 60 to 70 years of age
be receiving the CPP retirement pension
be working and contributing to the CPP

You do not need to apply for the PRB. You will automatically receive it the year following your year of contributions. The amount of the PRB depends on your earnings and your age. The maximum monthly PRB amount for 2024 is $32.79.

Source: (1) https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html. (2) Old Age Security: How much you could receive – Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security/benefit-amount.html. (3) Old Age Security payment amounts – Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security/payments.html.