Seniors Benefits Discussion- split from Liberal (Minority/Majority) Government 2025 - ???

[Czech_pivo]

Not sure what you’re talking about.
OAS is paid to someone here in Canada for merely living here for 40yrs after the age of 18. No work is required, there are no contributions - zero. Just show up day in and day out for 40yrs after 18 and you too will get 700+ a month.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Not sure what you’re talking about.
OAS is paid to someone here in Canada for merely living here for 40yrs after the age of 18. No work is required, there are no contributions - zero. Just show up day in and day out for 40yrs after 18 and you too will get 700+ a month.

Who are you talking too ?

 

[Czech_pivo]

Who are you talking too ?

Fish bones - I guess the reply didn’t link to his comments

 

[Halifax Tar]

Fish bones - I guess the reply didn’t link to his comments

lol No worries I was caught off guard as I posted above you lol

I will go back under my rock.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Not sure what you’re talking about.
OAS is paid to someone here in Canada for merely living here for 40yrs after the age of 18. No work is required, there are no contributions - zero. Just show up day in and day out for 40yrs after 18 and you too will get 700+ a month.

One does pay taxes lots of other ways then just income ....

 

[Czech_pivo]

One does pay taxes lots of other ways then just income ....

For some of the people....
Please remember that 20% of the population pays 65% of the income taxes in this country. Anther 40% pays 35% of the income taxes in this country and a full 40% of the population pays 0$ in income taxes.

And yes, 'one does pay taxes lots of other ways then just income' but what % of the 100% of the population gets some/all of HST returned back to them - answer, 35-37% of the population, which roughly falls in line with the 40% of the population that pays zero in income taxes.

Besides Income Tax and HST what other 'taxes' does one pay in Canada? Property Taxes? So approximately 66% of the Canadian population owns a property in Canada. That number of 66% falls nicely into the income tax numbers - where 20% of the population pays 65% of all income taxes and another 40% pays the remaining 35% of the income taxes.

What's left? Fuel Taxes? The average CDN driver spends 2,770$ a yr in gas. In Ontario the Gas Tax amount on that $2,770 works out to be roughly $249.30 in gas tax. So I guess there is that amount. The Federal HST amount would be part of the HST Rebate that 35-37% of the population receives.

 

[Halifax Tar]

For some of the people....
Please remember that 20% of the population pays 65% of the income taxes in this country. Anther 40% pays 35% of the income taxes in this country and a full 40% of the population pays 0$ in income taxes.

I am in no way doubting you, and you wont find a bigger opponent to income tax than me, but are you serious that 40% of this country dont pay income tax ? That's a huge problem.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I am in no way doubting you, and you wont find a bigger opponent to income tax than me, but are you serious that 40% of this country dont pay income tax ? That's a huge problem.

This is 7yrs old but I doubt that things have gotten better.

Trudeau is right: 40% of Canadians don’t pay income taxes, which means someone else is picking up the bill

Ted Rechtshaffen: The top 20 per cent is likely paying 70 per cent or more of all income taxes

financialpost.com

Trudeau is right: 40% of Canadians don’t pay income taxes, which means someone else is picking up the bill​

EDIT: Just so everyone understands what Income is required in Canada to be considered in the top 20% of income earners in Canada.

Here’s what a comfortable income looks like in Canada

We examined the cost of living in 79 Canadian cities to come up with an annual income you’d need to earn to feel at ease. See if you agree.

www.moneysense.ca

To crack the top 10% of income earners in Canada as an individual, you must earn at least $125,945. For the top 25%, the threshold is $81,184.

The article above doesn't neatly define 20% - but if the top 25% is a min of 81,184$, its pretty safe to say that it you earn above say 92,000$ in Canada as an individual that you are in the top 20% . Do you feel 'elitist' or 'rich' with your 92,000$ income? Well, you're a rare breed in Canada because 80% of the adult population makes less than you do, so you're an rare breed. For perspective, an elementary teacher is about 15-18Yrs experience makes about 100k a year, that most likely puts them about the top 15-17%. A principal most likely around 115-120K, so they are on the cusp of truly being an Elitist here in Canada.....

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

For some of the people....
Please remember that 20% of the population pays 65% of the income taxes in this country. Anther 40% pays 35% of the income taxes in this country and a full 40% of the population pays 0$ in income taxes.

And yes, 'one does pay taxes lots of other ways then just income' but what % of the 100% of the population gets some/all of HST returned back to them - answer, 35-37% of the population, which roughly falls in line with the 40% of the population that pays zero in income taxes.

Besides Income Tax and HST what other 'taxes' does one pay in Canada? Property Taxes? So approximately 66% of the Canadian population owns a property in Canada. That number of 66% falls nicely into the income tax numbers - where 20% of the population pays 65% of all income taxes and another 40% pays the remaining 35% of the income taxes.

What's left? Fuel Taxes? The average CDN driver spends 2,770$ a yr in gas. In Ontario the Gas Tax amount on that $2,770 works out to be roughly $249.30 in gas tax. So I guess there is that amount. The Federal HST amount would be part of the HST Rebate that 35-37% of the population receives.

The couple who decide having a parent figure in their kids lives is more important then big trucks and fancy kids should be able to sit at the table also in my opinion.

 

[Czech_pivo]

The couple who decide having a parent figure in their kids lives is more important then big trucks and fancy kids should be able to sit at the table also in my opinion.

100% agree that kids needs to have a parent figure (hopefully 2) in their lives, that key attribute makes a huge positive impact down the road.

On another note, here's a sobering fact. Nearly 64% of Canadians between the ages of 25-64 have a post secondary (college or university) credential. That dovetails tails to the 60% of the population that pays income tax in Canada. What I find telling is that it doesn't necessarily translate into a high-income level. If being in the top 25% of income earners translates to an individual income of 81,000$ and above, than that means that the other 40% of those with a college or university credential fall under the top 25% of income earners......

In the US, roughly 54-57% of the population between the ages of 25-64 have a college/university credential. To be in the top 20% of income earners in the US an individual needs an income between 100-110k USD. To be in the top 25%, an individual requires an income of 88,700$ USD.

On face value, it looks like having a post-secondary credential pays off more in the US than it does here in Canada.

Lastly, the top 20% of income earners in the US cover off between 80-87% of all Federal taxes in the US.

 

[Seyek]

I am in no way doubting you, and you wont find a bigger opponent to income tax than me, but are you serious that 40% of this country dont pay income tax ? That's a huge problem.

Some quick googling led me to this from the same report that Czech_pivo's numbers seem to come from.



The top 20% pay more than their share of income, the next 40% are roughly even, the bottom 20% pay a little less half of total taxes relative to their income which honestly, is more than I expected them to be paying. Note, this is total taxes paid, the income tax paid skews more towards the higher end.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Not sure what you’re talking about.
OAS is paid to someone here in Canada for merely living here for 40yrs after the age of 18. No work is required, there are no contributions - zero. Just show up day in and day out for 40yrs after 18 and you too will get 700+ a month.

No contributions? Where does the government get it's money to run the program? Taxes. That's how. Governments don't have money, except for what they get from taxpayers. Every person paying taxes, pays to make OAS work. If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get OAS.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Some quick googling led me to this from the same report that Czech_pivo's numbers seem to come from.

View attachment 100604

The top 20% pay more than their share of income, the next 40% are roughly even, the bottom 20% pay a little less half of total taxes relative to their income which honestly, is more than I expected them to be paying. Note, this is total taxes paid, the income tax paid skews more towards the higher end.

Measuring Progressivity in Canada’s Tax System, 2025

www.fraserinstitute.org

Directly from the link -

• However, high-income families already pay a disproportionately large share of all Canadian taxes. Indeed, the evidence shows that the top 20 percent of income-earning families pay nearly two-thirds (64.5 percent) of the country’s personal income taxes and more than half (56.9 percent) of total taxes.

 

[Czech_pivo]

No contributions? Where does the government get it's money to run the program? Taxes. That's how. Governments don't have money, except for what they get from taxpayers. Every person paying taxes, pays to make OAS work. If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get OAS.

I'm simply telling you that OAS is in NO way linked to your income, the amount of taxes you may have paid over your life time - it's linked ONLY to 1 thing - have you been in Canada for 40yrs between the ages of 18 and 65 - if the answer is 'yes', then you get the entire 700$+ month paid to you.

Again regarding taxes - I've laid it out pretty straight forward previously that 20% of the population pays 65% of ALL income tax in Canada and the remaining 35% is paid for by the next 40% on the income level - 40% of ALL the adult population pays ZERO in income taxes.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

You have never directly made contributions into OAS, just as there was never a promise you would receive it as it is welfare based on income levels and how long you have lived in country.

It has also been directly increased by the Liberals over the last decade well beyond what the program originally started out as.

Don’t confuse OAS with CPP, two very different programs. One is government welfare coming out of general revenues, the other you directly contributed into a pension fund.

Most people would agree that you shouldn’t be paying welfare to someone making up to 154,708-160,647$ a year, with clawbacks on it only starting at 95,323$ a full 35k above the average income or a bit over double the median (i.e. what most people are actually making) income.

Paying welfare to people making double the median income is criminal.

Seen.

"Paying welfare to people making double the median income is criminal."

Paying welfare to people who refuse to work, is also criminal.

 

[Seyek]

I'm simply telling you that OAS is in NO way linked to your income, the amount of taxes you may have paid over your life time - it's linked ONLY to 1 thing - have you been in Canada for 40yrs between the ages of 18 and 65 - if the answer is 'yes', then you get the entire 700$+ month paid to you.

Again regarding taxes - I've laid it out pretty straight forward previously that 20% of the population pays 65% of ALL income tax in Canada and the remaining 35% is paid for by the next 40% on the income level - 40% of ALL the adult population pays ZERO in income taxes.

I only skimmed the report, so I may have missed something, but that's not true. For 2025, the bottom 20% (nevermind 40%) paid 0.7% of personal income taxes.

 

[mariomike]

I'm often reminded of the "I'm entitled to my entitlements," quote whenever I discuss this with anybody over 50.

Saw a sign at a restaurant said, * No Senior Discount : You have lived twice as long to get the money."

 

[Czech_pivo]

Seen.

"Paying welfare to people making double the median income is criminal."

Paying welfare to people who refuse to work, is also criminal.

So you're suggesting that the 20% of the population that pays 65% of all income taxes should get nothing and the remaining 60% who pay 35% of the income taxes should all get OAS? How very Socialist of you.

That's a fast track to having that 20% move out of this country right fast. I choose to come back here to specifically raise a family here because it was where I thought of all the places that I've lived that this would be the best place to raise a family. Now that I've actively planning for early retirement somewhere in the 5yrs range, I'm not so certain that this is necessarily the best place to stay for 184 days of the year if I want to keep more of all that I've earned through my prudent investing and living well under my means.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Lastly, the top 20% of income earners in the US cover off between 80-87% of all Federal taxes in the US.

That is VERY counter to the narrative of so many Canadians, who seem to believe that taxes would be lower in the US, even before paying 5-12K per year for health insurance (results vary from state to state, personal circumstances etc)

 

[Czech_pivo]

I only skimmed the report, so I may have missed something, but that's not true. For 2025, the bottom 20% (nevermind 40%) paid 0.7% of personal income taxes.

This is the report from 2019 that I have been using to site my 40% pay zero in income taxes.

Trudeau is right: 40% of Canadians don’t pay income taxes, which means someone else is picking up the bill – TriDelta Private Wealth

www.tridelta.ca

"Consider that if the bottom 40 per cent pays much less than zero per cent of income taxes, after adding the exceptionally large Canada Child Benefit and several other tax-free payouts, then someone else is picking up their tax bill."

The Fraser Institute report does NOT go into detail of each and every 'Benefit' that is available to individuals/families in Canada. The above report calls out these benefits and how after they are received, they in essence reduce the amount of income taxes paid effectively to zero.

It's great if someone pays 2,000$ in income taxes but then receives a benefit for 2,300$ paid to them in quarterly installments. That 'extra' 300$ has to be paid by someone.