Disability BenefitsFixed feeCPP, OAS and GIS benefits

Guaranteed Income Supplement application or review

GIS application or a review of a GIS decision.

A request for reconsideration is usually due within 90 days of receiving the decision; Service Canada's processing times vary. Ontario Licensed paralegal firm (LSO P21785)

What is included

  • Checking eligibility and explaining how the timing of your application affects it
  • Completing the application and gathering birth, residence, marriage or death records
  • Preparing reconsideration requests and responses to Service Canada
  • Preparing Social Security Tribunal appeals at the step the service covers

What is not included

  • Charges from doctors and other providers for reports, forms and records, and other disbursements
  • Later stages, such as an appeal after a reconsideration, unless agreed in writing
  • Medical assessments or treatment
  • A court action in the Superior Court of Justice, such as a long-term disability lawsuit, which needs a lawyer
  • Financial, tax-planning or investment advice

Who this service is for

  • People approaching 65, or already retired, applying for CPP or OAS
  • Surviving spouses, common-law partners and children of a CPP contributor
  • Seniors whose OAS or GIS was refused, reduced or clawed back

Information to have ready

  1. 1Proof of age and of your years living in Canada, such as passports and entry records
  2. 2Marriage, separation or death certificates, as applies
  3. 3Recent tax returns and notices of assessment
  4. 4Any letters from Service Canada

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost?

The fee is $250 plus 13% HST ($282.50 in all) for the work described on this page. Court, tribunal or government fees and other disbursements are extra. We confirm the scope and the fee in a written retainer agreement before any work starts.

What happens when I check out?

You book a time for your intake call, then save a card on Stripe's secure page. Nothing is charged today: the card is only charged later, for an invoice for work already done, as your retainer agreement sets out. A licensed paralegal confirms the details, checks for conflicts of interest and, if we can act for you, sends the retainer agreement. Fees paid before the work is done are held in our trust account.

Does OAS depend on how long I have lived in Canada?

Yes. A full pension usually needs 40 years of residence in Canada after age 18, and a partial pension at least 10 years; social security agreements with other countries can change this.

What is the OAS recovery tax?

Sometimes called the clawback, it reduces OAS for people whose income is above a yearly threshold. We can check whether the income used was correct and what options exist.

Can CPP credits be split after a separation?

Yes. CPP credits earned while spouses or common-law partners lived together can usually be divided equally after a separation or divorce, on request.

General information only, not legal advice. NEO Legal Services Professional Corporation is a licensed paralegal firm regulated by the Law Society of Ontario.

Important limitations

  • No outcome can be guaranteed; each program decides eligibility
  • Programs rely heavily on medical evidence, which only your health providers can give
  • Review and appeal deadlines are strict, so tell us about any decision as soon as you receive it
  • Some disability work may be outside what a licensed paralegal is permitted to do, such as a court action against an insurer in the Superior Court of Justice; before any work starts we confirm that your matter is within that scope, and we can refer you to an Ontario lawyer for anything that is not.
Law Society of Ontario — Barreau de l'Ontario
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