Canadian Retirement Numbers 2026: The Key Figures

Retirement planning in Canada runs on a handful of numbers that change every year — contribution limits, benefit maximums, clawback thresholds, withdrawal minimums. They're scattered across dozens of government pages, so we've collected the 2026 figures in one place. We refresh this page when new figures are released (most arrive each January; benefit amounts adjust quarterly).

TL;DR: For 2026 — TFSA limit $7,000; RRSP limit 18% of earned income up to $33,810; maximum CPP at 65 $1,507.65/month; OAS clawback begins at $95,323 of 2026 income; capital-gains inclusion stays at 50%; RRIF minimums start at 5.28% at 71.

CPP — Canada Pension Plan

Figure (2026)	Amount
Maximum monthly pension starting at 65	$1,507.65
Start age range	60 to 70
Reduction for starting early	0.6% per month (36% less at 60)
Increase for starting late	0.7% per month (42% more at 70)
Year's Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE)	$74,600
Second earnings ceiling (YAMPE / CPP2)	$85,000

Few people receive the maximum — it takes close to 39 years of maximum contributions. Your own estimate is on your My Service Canada account. For how the start-age decision plays out, see when to take CPP. QPP figures for Quebec residents are closely aligned.

OAS — Old Age Security

Figure (2026)	Amount
Maximum monthly payment, ages 65–74	~$752 (July–September quarter; indexed quarterly)
Maximum monthly payment, 75+	~$827
Deferral increase	0.6% per month (36% more at 70)
Clawback (recovery tax) begins	$95,323 of 2026 net income
Clawback for OAS paid July 2026 – June 2027	based on 2025 income; begins at $93,454
OAS fully clawed back (65–74)	$152,062
OAS fully clawed back (75+)	$157,923

OAS amounts adjust every quarter with inflation, so the monthly figures above shift slightly during the year. The clawback removes 15 cents per dollar of net income above the threshold — our OAS clawback guide covers the common ways retirees manage it.

GIS — Guaranteed Income Supplement

Figure (2026, indexed quarterly)	Amount
Maximum annual benefit, single	~$13,300
Income cutoff, single	~$22,500
Income cutoff, couple (both receiving OAS)	~$29,700
Clawback rate	50 cents per dollar of income (single)

GIS is income-tested but OAS itself doesn't count in the test, and neither do TFSA withdrawals — which is why account choice matters so much at lower incomes. Details in our GIS guide.

TFSA

Figure (2026)	Amount
Annual contribution limit	$7,000
Cumulative room since 2009 (never contributed)	$109,000
Withdrawals count as income for tax / OAS / GIS?	No, under current rules

Withdrawn amounts are re-added to your room on January 1 of the following year. Strategies in TFSA in retirement.

RRSP and RRIF

Figure (2026)	Amount
RRSP contribution limit	18% of prior-year earned income, up to $33,810
Last year to contribute to your own RRSP	the year you turn 71
RRSP must convert to RRIF (or annuity) by	end of the year you turn 71

RRIF minimum withdrawals (percentage of the account each year):

Age	Minimum	Age	Minimum
71	5.28%	85	8.51%
72	5.40%	90	11.92%
75	5.82%	95+	20.00%
80	6.82%

A younger spouse's age can be used to lower the schedule. Full table and strategies in RRIF minimum withdrawal rates.

Tax figures worth knowing

Figure (2026)	Amount
Lowest federal tax rate	14% (reduced from 15% by Bill C-78)
Capital-gains inclusion rate	50% — the proposed increase to 66.67% was cancelled
Pension income splitting	up to 50% of eligible pension income (RRIF income from age 65; Form T1032)
Federal pension income amount	$2,000 credit base
Principal residence sale	generally tax-free, but must be reported (Schedule 3 + T2091)

Provincial rates vary — best province to retire compares them.

Seeing your own numbers

Limits and thresholds are the raw material; what matters is how they interact in your plan — which accounts you draw first, when each benefit starts, and where your income lands against the clawback lines year by year. RetireZest runs that simulation with the 2026 figures above built in, for Alberta, BC, Ontario, and Quebec, and your Zest Score summarizes how the pieces fit.

Figures from Canada.ca (Service Canada quarterly benefit tables, CRA registered-plan limits) as of July 2026. Quarterly-indexed amounts are marked approximate.