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When Should You Claim CPP, OAS & Social Security?

Claiming earlier means smaller checks for longer; delaying means bigger checks for fewer years. This shows the trade-off using your own numbers — and remember, the helps you qualify across both countries but doesn't change these per-country reduction and delay formulas.

Guide:CPP, OAS, and Social Security: When to Claim as a Cross-Border Retiree — the full walkthrough behind this calculator.
Your inputs are saved in this browser automatically, so you won't lose them on refresh.Saved
Heads up: the amounts and ages below are pre-filled with a made-up example scenario, just so you can see how the claiming-age comparison works before you commit to typing in your own numbers. None of this is your data. Replace each field with your own numbers whenever you're ready — or use the button to reload this example any time.
↺Amounts below default to your Government Benefits inputs on the CoastFIRE Calculator (CPP/OAS assumed to be "at 65" amounts, Social Security assumed to be your "at full retirement age 67" amount).

Pick a claiming age for each

CA CPP (60-70)

Age 65
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CA OAS (65-70)

Age 65
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US Social Security (62-70)

Age 67
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Earliest vs. standard vs. latest vs. your choice

Lifetime total assumes you live to the "plan to age" above — a longer life favors delaying, a shorter one favors claiming early.

Use these choices in your CoastFIRE plan

This saves your chosen ages and adjusted amounts into the CoastFIRE Calculator's Government Benefits section (using the latest of your three claiming ages as the single "benefits start age," since the calculator assumes one unified start age for simplicity).

❓ Glossary & how this is calculated
Totalization
The Canada-US Social Security Agreement — lets you combine CPP/QPP and US Social Security credits to qualify for benefits you would not qualify for on either country's work history alone.
Am I taxed twice on these benefits?
Generally no. Under the treaty, CPP/OAS/Social Security are taxed only by the country you live in, not the one that pays them — see how each direction actually works for the details.

How do the early/late adjustments work? CPP shrinks about 0.6%/month claimed before 65 and grows about 0.7%/month claimed after, OAS grows about 0.6%/month delayed past 65, and Social Security shrinks up to 5/9% per month for the first 36 months before your full retirement age (67) and 5/12% per month beyond that, then grows about 2/3%/month delayed past 67 — all standard government formulas, not estimates.

Next: Drawdown Optimizer — see how your claiming age interacts with the rest of your withdrawal order.
Figures current as of 2026
  • 2026 — CPP, OAS & Social Security maximums, HSA contribution limits, the capital gains inclusion rate, and moving-back thresholds are all updated for 2026.
  • Jan 2025 — Social Security Fairness Act repeal of WEP/GPO reflected in the Benefit Timing amounts.
  • Last independently verified: August 2026 — CPP/OAS/SS figures, RRSP withholding rates, and the 2026 US tax brackets checked directly against CRA, IRS, and SSA publications.
  • Full sourcing & citations for this page →