Latest news with #OAS
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
July 2025 CPP, increased OAS payments arrive soon for eligible Canadians
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) July payments come out soon. The payment dates for both CPP and OAS are set for Tuesday, July 29. If you're entitled to receive either of those benefits, the money should arrive in your bank account then. According to the Canada Revenue Agency, those who receive OAS will see a one per cent increase in benefits for the July to September 2025 quarter, reflecting a 2.3 per cent annual increase from July 2024 to July 2025, based on the Consumer Price Index. OAS is reviewed in January, April, July and October to reflect increases in the cost of living. However, your payment won't decrease if the cost of living goes down. Several provincial and federal government benefit payments come out in July. The goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax credit, Advanced Canada Workers Benefit, Ontario Trillium Benefit, Canada Child Benefit, CPP, OAS and Ontario Disability Support payment are paid this month to eligible Canadians. The new Canada Disability Benefit payments also started in July for applications received and approved by June 30. To be eligible for CPP, you must be at least 60 years old and have made at least one contribution to the plan. Contributions must have been made from work conducted in Canada, or as a result of credits from a former spouse or former common-law partner. Maximum CPP pension at age 65 as of January 2025 is $1,433 per month. The average CPP pension at age 65 as of April 2025 is $844.53 per month. The maximum and average CPP amounts isn't guaranteed. The amount of your CPP retirement pension depends on different factors, such as: You can get an estimate of your monthly CPP retirement pension payments by signing in to your My Service Canada Account . The OAS is a monthly payment you can get if you are 65 and older. In most cases, Service Canada will be able to automatically enrol you for the OAS pension if sufficient information is available. Service Canada will inform you if you have been automatically enrolled. The maximum OAS pension amounts from July to September 2025 for people aged 65 to 74 is $734.95. If you're 75 and over, the maximum monthly payment is $808.45. To receive the OAS your annual net world income in 2024 must be less than $148,541 for those aged 65 to 74, and less than $154,196 for people 75 and over. However, the CRA provides a new online OAS benefit payment estimator to give you an idea of how much your payment will be. Haven't received your payment? Wait 10 working days from the payment date to contact the Canada Revenue Agency . For information about ODSP, visit the province's information page . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Wire
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
The Attack On a Bureaucrat in Odisha is a Blow to Sardar Patel's Vision on Civil Service
During Naveen Patnaik's tenure as Chief Minister of Odisha for 25 years, the state administration got streamlined to govern and deliver services to people. Welfare policies got implemented without delay. The best example of such implementation is the scheme called KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation). The scheme provided Rs. 6,000 to each eligible farmer, including agricultural labourers. It was a novel project in India which included in its scope not just the farmers but agricultural labourers as well. Thousands of beneficiaries across the state were receiving the amount and the credit for that was given to the civil servants who worked day and night to deliver the services. A probationary IAS officer used to crack jokes that those going to Odisha were free to handle the projects assigned to them as a tall regional leader knew what to do with the civil service, including officers of the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS). In sharp contrast to the tenure of Patnaik as the CM, Ratnakar Sahoo, an OAS officer was dragged from his office in broad daylight and kicked and punched by some local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of Bhubaneswar. This shocking and murderous treatment of a senior officer of Odisha bureaucracy outraged the state and indeed India as whole. A foundation laid by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel It is well known that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel laid the foundation of the civil service in independent India. Once, when members of the Constituent Assembly/Provisional Parliament made sharp attacks on civil service, Patel famously said, "Do not quarrel with the instruments with which you want to work. It is a bad workman who quarrels with the instrument. Nobody wants to put in work when he is criticised and ridiculed in public." BJP leaders who try to appropriate Patel must be mindful of his vision. Liberal democracy demands public bureaucracy to negotiate between public and the elected political leaders. They are supposed to be neutral and non-partisan in its approach. It is also expected that they will protect constitutional rights of citizens and bring benefits of development to people. Civil servants are professionals. They are recruited through written examination conducted by independent entities, be it UPSC or State Public Service Commissions. These civil servants are trained and aware of rules and regulations of the state. By following the rules, they try to implement the developmental programmes. In the end they are accountable to people for thedelivery of services to them. A bureaucrat is a person who holds to his bureau or chair in his or her official room, but if he or she gets attacked by the goondas of the political leaders controlling the state apparatus then it would strike a death blow to professional bureaucracy. On August 23, 1949, when the Constituent Assembly was discussing Article 320 (corresponding Article 286 in the draft Constitution) dealing with the functions of the Public Service Commissions, Laxminarayan Sahu, a distinguished Member of the Assembly representing Orissa (now Odisha), said, '...we are providing for the formation of a Public Service Commission solely with a view to ensure the smooth and efficient running of our Republican Government'. However, he cautioned by saying that, 'But when a democratic form of Government is established, many political parties dominate the field and they adopt undesirable methods for appointments in the services'. 'We are going to form the Public Service Commission' he said, 'solely with a view that political parties may not be in a position to adopt such methods' and '...no one may be able to suggest that the Services are working under the influence.' That vision articulated by an Odia in 1949 got trampled in Odisha in 2025 when an officer of the state civil service was brutally assaulted in full public view by those belonging to the ruling party, BJP. It is widely reported that Odisha government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi does not allow the civil servants to attend the cabinet meetings. It is standard practice that those heading various departments are supposed to attend those meetings but tragically that practice has been dispensed with. Trust between politicians of the BJP and civil servants is at the lowest level in the state It seems that trust between politicians of the BJP and civil servants is at the lowest level in the state. This can harm the development of the state immeasurably. It is reflected in the behaviour of the politicians vis-à-vis the civil servants. The question is that whether the BJP hooligans could have mustered the courage to beat an incumbent BMC Additional Commissioner belonging to IAS? It deserves a cogent answer. J.P. Das who left the IAS after serving for a few years recalled that till Nandini Satpathy became the chief Minister of Odisha, leaders of political parties in the State used to call IAS officers of Odisha as Sirs or Madams. She tried to change that pattern of treating civil servants as superior to their political bosses. IAS officers used to live in eight roomed quarter with dozens of servants paid by the government and ministers would live in much smaller dwelling units. Such power relationship changed but not to the desired extent. The real work in administration in Odisha is done by the OAS officers who work as subordinate officials of the IAS incumbents. Ajit Triparthy, the former chief Secretary of Odisha once told this author that IAS officials behave like wise old owls in the state by handing over the works to OAS officers who behave like fish in a handful of water. The tragedy inflicted on Sahoo, who belonging to OAS, is a lesson for the entire civil service cadre of the state that BJP leaders acting in partisan manner would not hesitate to unleash violence against them in case their work is not done. Those operating the state machinery must rescue the civil service from such heinous assaults It is heartening that the IAS and OAS Officers' Associations came together to deal with the attack on Sahoo. In addition to the existing provisions, they should demand a special law to protect them in their work places from the assault by intruders affiliated to the ruling party. It is also a welcome sign that in wake of the stand of the OAS officers association that it would go hartal chief minister Majhi called a meeting which resulted in the compromise that the main BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan would be arrested to face legal consequences. This is indicative of the ecosystem of fear and anxiety within which civil servants of Odisha are now working. When the country was embroiled in partition-related violence after independence, Sardar Patel, as stated earlier, had said that no civil servant would give his/her best when mocked at in the public. It is indeed tragic that when we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Constitution, the civil service in Odisha is facing attacks and the life and limbs of civil servants are placed in grave peril. Those operating the state machinery must rescue the civil service from such heinous assaults and salvage the state and its people.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
The strategic importance of designating Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization
The Peruvian government's recent call for all members of the Organization of American States to declare the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization is a landmark action that will reverberate positively throughout the Western Hemisphere. The statement — supported by the U.S., Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama and Paraguay — requests that OAS member states consider designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, or to adopt equivalent legal frameworks that allow for greater prosecution capacity, asset freezes and enforcement actions. Tren de Aragua, which began in a Venezuelan state prison around 2014, is today one of the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the Americas. The group has rapidly expanded its operations into neighboring countries and beyond, leaving a trail of violence, exploitation and suffering. It operates as a highly organized criminal corporation, using violence and a hierarchical structure to control illicit markets, and terrorist tactics to eliminate competition and instill fear. Tren de Aragua has sown chaos, undermined local governance and endangered the lives of countless citizens. Thriving on fear and financial gain, Tren de Aragua is estimated to have around 5,000 members, and its annual profits range between $10 million and $15 million. Their use of extreme violence, targeted assassinations and mass intimidation to maintain control and expand influence aligns with the modus operandi of terrorist organizations. Its expansion has been swift and violent, exploiting deficient law enforcement, corruption and large migrant flows. Many nations in the region have been affected by the influence of this criminal network, which has disrupted communities in vulnerable border areas. Its operations have rapidly expanded into cities, effectively transforming into a new form of urban terrorism. The expansion of Tren de Aragua represents a significant regional crisis. This gang engages in drug trafficking, extortion and hired killings. It utilizes terrorist tactics such as torture and public displays of violence to instill fear and maintain control. Members often disseminate graphic content on social media to intimidate both rivals and law enforcement agencies. In April, the U.S. filed charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act against 27 members and associates of Tren de Aragua for acts committed both in America and abroad. This case showcases the need to address this pervasive threat further through coordinated international action. The recent U.S. designation of Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization marks a crucial strategic step. First, by recognizing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist group, the U.S. gains a broader set of tools to dismantle the its financial infrastructure. Many criminal organizations rely on transnational banking systems and shadowy financial channels to launder money and fund their operations. Cutting off access to these resources will severely weaken Tren de Aragua. Second, this move also sets the stage for enhanced regional collaboration. By highlighting the threat the group poses on the global stage, the U.S. sends a powerful message of mutually beneficial collaboration with its Latin American partners. Increased intelligence sharing, joint operations and technical assistance will help dismantle this criminal network. Third, the U.S. designation underscores the importance of a safer region and a stronger partnership with the Americas. It is a signal that the U.S. is committed to addressing one of the primary root causes of insecurity and instability in Latin America and within the U.S. By taking a stand against Tren de Aragua, the U.S. affirms its role as a partner in building a safer, more stable region where democracy and economic opportunity can thrive. The call for a unified response to combat Tren de Aragua across borders is critical. Together with its allies, the U.S. can champion an 'Americas-First Foreign Policy,' as suggested by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and reaffirm shared values with countries throughout the region. This would complement other security and defense cooperation from the U.S. and make its presence and influence more important and tangible. No other global power can make a greater commitment to working in the region to ensure that groups like Tren de Aragua cannot operate with impunity.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The CRA Mistake That Could Cut Your Old Age Security in Half
Written by Kay Ng at The Motley Fool Canada Every year, thousands of Canadian retirees unknowingly lose out on hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars in Old Age Security (OAS) benefits due to a little-known income trap: the OAS clawback. In 2025, this silent tax could reduce or even eliminate your OAS if you're not careful. But the good news? With the right investment strategy, you can protect your benefits – and possibly even grow your wealth at the same time. The OAS clawback begins when your net world income exceeds $90,997 (This amount rises over time and can be looked up on the Government of Canada website.). For every dollar over that threshold, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) claws back 15 cents from your OAS payments. That means if your net income hits approximately $148,000, your entire OAS benefit could be wiped out. Here's the kicker: many Canadians trigger the clawback by mistake, through taxable income from RRIF withdrawals, capital gains, or even dividends from non-registered investments. The impact? You could lose up to $8,819 or more in OAS – essentially handing it right back to the CRA. One way to avoid the clawback is by holding tax-efficient dividend stocks such as Fortis (TSX: FTS). Fortis is one of Canada's top utility companies, with a 51-year track record of annual dividend increases. It is a reliable income-generating stock and currently, it yields around 3.8%. To eliminate the clawback entirely and with sufficient room, retirees could hold their stock investments in their Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA). Because TFSA withdrawals and growth don't count toward your net income, this money has zero impact on your OAS eligibility. Compare that to earning the same dividends in a non-registered account, where grossed-up dividends inflate your net income and can accelerate the clawback. To truly dodge the OAS clawback, consider these additional strategies: 1. Take full advantage of your TFSA Max out your TFSA contributions annually. In 2025, the cumulative TFSA contribution limit for someone who was 18 in 2009 is $102,000, and possibly higher if unused room remains. Dividends, capital gains, and withdrawals from a TFSA are not taxed, nor do they impact net income. 2. Split pension income If you're receiving eligible pension income, split up to 50% with your spouse who may be in a lower tax bracket. This reduces your individual taxable income and could keep you below the clawback threshold. 3. Withdraw from RRSPs strategically If it makes sense for your unique situation, start drawing down RRSPs before age 71 to manage your taxable income in retirement. Large RRIF withdrawals after conversion at age 71 can push you into the OAS clawback zone. Early, gradual withdrawals — especially if reinvested into your TFSA — can smooth your income and preserve OAS benefits. The OAS clawback isn't a tax penalty — it's a retirement planning problem. Without a proactive strategy, your retirement income plan could backfire, resulting in you losing out on thousands of dollars. But by combining TFSA investing, dividend-paying stocks like Fortis, and tax-smart withdrawal planning, you can keep your income high and your clawback low. The biggest mistake? Ignoring the issue. Don't let the CRA take a bigger slice of your retirement than necessary. Plan now, and you'll thank yourself later. Talk to a qualified financial planner if needed. The post The CRA Mistake That Could Cut Your Old Age Security in Half appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Canada analyst team just identified what they believe are the Top Stocks for 2025 and Beyond for investors to buy now. The Top Stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years, potentially setting you up for a more prosperous retirement. Consider when "the eBay of Latin America," MercadoLibre, made this list on January 8, 2014 ... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $24,927.94* Stock Advisor Canada provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month – one from Canada and one from the U.S. The Stock Advisor Canada service has outperformed the return of S&P/TSX Composite Index by 30 percentage points since 2013*. See the Top Stocks * Returns as of 6/23/25 More reading 10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2025 [PREMIUM PICKS] Market Volatility Toolkit Fool contributor Kay Ng has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Fortis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
Hans India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP leader gets bail in officer assault case
Bhubaneswar: The BJP leader, Jagannath Pradhan, who was arrested in a case involving the physical assault on a senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office, was released from jail after getting bail from a local court here on Wednesday. Pradhan was released from Jharpada jail here on Wednesday evening. The BJP leader was welcomed by his supporters when he walked out of the jail. The BJP leader and Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) MLA Babu Singh also welcomed him. Then, his supporters took Pradhan to his office in a procession by bursting firecrackers and beating drums. Speaking to mediapersons, Pradhan condemned the incident (assault on OAS officer) and claimed that he was neither directly nor indirectly involved in the assault on the officer, which was 'proved today by the court.' The OAS Association became the victim of a conspiracy of Opposition BJD, which led to his arrest, he claimed. 'The OAS Association should introspect how they fell into the conspiracy. It is the duty of every officer to ensure smooth functioning of the Mohan Majhi government in the State,' he said. Earlier in the day, the District and Sessions Court, Khurda, granted bail to Pradhan on a security of Rs 30,000. The court had asked the government counsel to produce the telephonic conversation between Pradhan and Ratnakar Sahoo, the victim OAS officer. The court granted bail to Pradhan after the government counsel 'failed' to produce evidence of a conversation in the court, said advocate Suresh Kumar Sahoo. The BMC Additional Commissioner, Ratnakar Sahoo, was brutally attacked, dragged on the floor of the office, kicked in the face and humiliated by a group of people, allegedly supporters of Pradhan. The viral video of the officer's assault created a Statewide outrage forcing OAS officers to go on strike demanding the arrest of all the accused persons, including Pradhan, who is accused of masterminding the attack on Sahoo. On Thursday night, Pradhan surrendered before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar, and was arrested and sent to jail. He was produced before the SDJM (Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate's) Court in Bhubaneswar which rejected his bail petition and sent him to 14-day judicial custody. Pradhan was booked under various sections of BNS which deals with offences like assault on public servants, obstructing government work and causing grievous injury. The BJP leader surrendered before the police as the members of the OAS Association went on a cease-work agitation across the State. Earlier, police had arrested five persons in connection with the case. While Pradhan was granted bail on Wednesday, the hearing of the bail petition of the other five accused is scheduled to be held on July 15, the advocate said.
