CRA indicates that required top-up payments to satisfy the minimum-amount IPP rules do not qualify for income-splitting

The 2011 budget introduced measures for individual pension plans (“IPPs”) that generally parallel the “minimum amount”-based income withdrawal rules for RRIFs, so that minimal withdrawals are required from an IPP if the plan member has attained 71.

CRA considers that any additional payment that an IPP is required to make in a year to comply with the IPP minimum amount rules is not eligible to be split with a spouse/common-law partner under the s. 60.03 income-splitting rules. The definition of “pension income” for such purposes references a “life annuity,” and such top-up payments would not qualify as being part of an annuity, i.e., a series of periodic payments.

Neal Armstrong. Summary of 14 May 2019 CLHIA Roundtable Q. 14, 2019-0799191C6 under s. 118(7) – pension income – (a)(i).