RC4157(E) Rev. 24

The CRA's publications and personalized correspondence are available in braille, large print, e-text, and MP3. For more information, go to Order alternate formats for persons with disabilities or call 1-800-959-5525.

La version française de ce guide est intitulée Comment retenir l'impôt sur les revenus de pension ou d'autres sources et produire le feuillet T4A et le Sommaire.

The Canada Revenue Agency uses the term “Indian” because it has legal meaning in the Indian Act.

Unless otherwise stated, all legislative references are to the Income Tax Act or, where appropriate, the Income Tax Regulations.

Find out if this guide is for you

Use this guide if you are a payer, such as an employer, a trustee, an estate executor (or liquidator), an administrator, or a corporate director, and you pay any of the following types of income:

• pension or superannuation
• lump-sum payments
• self-employed commissions
• annuities
• patronage allocations
• registered education savings plan (RESP) accumulated income payments
• RESP educational assistance payments
• fees or other amounts for services
• income replacement payments made under the Veterans Well-being Act
• other income such as research grants, payments from a registered disability savings plan (RDSP), wage-loss replacement plan payments if you were not required to withhold Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and employment insurance (EI) premiums, death benefits, or certain benefits paid to partnerships or shareholders

You have to fill out the T4A slip, Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income, if you made any of the payments listed above and one of the following applies:

• the total of all payments in the calendar year was more than $500
• you deducted tax from any payment

You have to prepare a T4A slip for a subscriber if any RESP accumulated income payments totalling $50 or more are made in the calendar year. Also, you have to prepare a T4A slip for a beneficiary if any RESP educational assistance payments totalling $50 or more are made in the calendar year.

If you provided a group term life insurance taxable benefit to a former employee or retiree, you must report the benefit on a T4A slip using code 119. Employers who pay Group Term Life Insurance premiums on behalf of retirees, when it's the only income reported on the T4A slip, are only required to report the premium if the amount is greater than $50. The $500 reporting threshold for T4A slips does not apply.

If you are the administrator or trustee of a multi-employer plan (MEP) and you provided a taxable benefit under the plan to an employee, former employee, or retiree, report the benefit on a T4A slip using code 119, if it is more than $25.

You have to prepare a T4A slip for tax-free savings account (TFSA) taxable amounts paid to a recipient when the amount for the year is more than $50.

For a complete list of the other types of income covered in this guide, see Other information.

Do not fill out a T4A slip for:

• Payments made by a federal government department or agency, or crown corporation for goods and services. Instead, fill out the T1204 slip, Government Service Contract Payments
• Payments made by individuals, partnerships, trusts, or corporations with construction as their main business activity to subcontractors for construction services. Instead, fill out the T5018 slip, Statement of Contract Payments
• Amounts paid or credited to a non-resident of Canada, such as interest, dividends, rental income, royalties, pension income, retiring allowances, or other similar types of passive income. Instead, fill out the NR4 slip, Statement of Amounts Paid or Credited to Non-Residents of Canada. For more information, go to NR4.
• Payments from a retirement compensation arrangement. Instead, fill out the T4A-RCA slip, Statement of Distributions from a Retirement Compensation Arrangement (RCA). For more information, see Retirement Compensation Arrangements, or call 1-800-959-5525
• Income paid from a life income fund (LIF). Instead, fill out the T4RIF slip, Statement of Income from a Registered Retirement Income Fund. However, if a life annuity is bought from the proceeds of a LIF, the annuity payments have to be reported in box 024 of a T4A slip
• Amounts paid for tips and gratuities, group term life insurance premiums paid for current employees, and other employment income. Instead, fill out the T4 slip, Statement of Remuneration Paid
• Payments received under a supplementary unemployment benefit plan (SUBP) that do not qualify as a SUBP under the Income Tax Act (for example, employer-paid maternity and parental top-up amounts). Instead, fill out the T4 slip, Statement of Remuneration Paid. For more information, go to Supplement Unemployment Benefit Program.
• Undistributed amounts left in a deceased taxpayer's TFSA at the end of the trust's exempt period

Throughout this guide, the CRA refers to other guides, forms, interpretation bulletins, and information circulars. Generally, if you need any of these, go to Forms and publications or call 1-800-959-5525.

What’s new

Box 015 – Payer-offered Dental Benefits

These new boxes must be used to indicate whether the employee/recipient or any of their family members were eligible, on December 31 of that year, to access any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind, that an employer or payer offered. See Box 015 – Payer-offered Dental Benefits.

Distribution Method reminder

You can distribute T4, T4A, T5 or T4FHSA slips by email or using an employer or payer’s secure electronic portal without obtaining written or electronic consent from the employees or recipients before distributing the slips.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1 – General information
  • Your responsibilities
    • Form TD1, Personal Tax Credits Return
    • Trustee in bankruptcy
  • If your business stops operating or the partner or proprietor dies
  • Penalties, interest and other consequences
    • Failure to deduct
    • Penalty for failure to deduct
    • Penalty for failure to remit and late remittances
    • Due date
    • Late filing penalty
      
    • Failure to file electronically
    • Interest
    • Cancel or waive penalties or interest
• Chapter 2 – Deducting Income Tax
  • How to calculate tax deductions
  • Special payments
    • Death benefits
    • Lump-sum payments
    • Qualifying retroactive lump-sum payments
    • Transfer of funds
    • Patronage payments
    • Registered education savings plan (RESP)
    • Tax-free savings account (TFSA)
• Chapter 3 – T4A slips
  
  • Filling out T4A slips
    • When filling out T4A slips:
    • How to report foreign income in Canadian dollars
    • Bank of Canada
    • Other acceptable sources
    • Detailed instructions
    • Other information
    • Benefits from a third party
  • Filing T4A slips
• Chapter 4 – T4A Summary
  • Filling out the T4A Summary
    • Detailed instructions
• Chapter 5 – T4A information return
  • Electronic filing methods
    • Web Forms
    • Internet file transfer (XML)
    • Web access code (WAC)
    • Filing without a web access code (WAC)
  • Filing on paper – 1 to 5 T4A slips
    • T4A summary sent without T4A slip
  • How to distribute your T4A slips
• Chapter 6 – After you file
  • Choose the filing method to amend, add, replace or cancel T4A slips
    • Amend T4A slips
    • Add T4A slips
    • Replace T4A slips
    • Cancel T4A slips
    • Cancel a T4A return
  • Pension adjustment (PA)
• Digital services
  
  • Handle your business taxes online
  • Receive your CRA mail online
  • Create a pre authorized debit agreement from your Canadian chequing account
• For more information
  • If you need help
  • Due Dates
  • Direct Deposit
  • Forms and publications
  • Electronic mailing lists
  • Teletypewriter (TTY) users
  • Formal disputes (objections and appeals)
  • CRA Service Feedback Program
    
    • Service complaints
    • Reprisal complaints
  • Addresses
    • Tax Centre (TC)
    • National Verification and Collections Centres (NVCC)
  • Publications for payers
  • Report foreign income and other foreign amounts

Chapter 1 – General information

Your responsibilities

As a payer, you must do the following:

• Deduct income tax from certain amounts you pay to recipients. For more information, go to About the deduction of income tax
• Hold these amounts in trust for the Receiver General for Canada. You have to keep these amounts separate from the operating funds of your business. Make sure these amounts are not part of an estate in liquidation, assignment, receivership, or bankruptcy
• Send these deductions to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
• Report the payments and deductions on the T4A information return to the CRA. To do this, fill out the T4A slips, Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity and Other Income. If you file on paper, also include the related T4A Summary, Summary of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income. For instructions on how to fill out the T4A slip, see Filling out T4A slips. For instructions on how to fill out the T4A Summary, see Filling out the T4A Summary
• File the T4A Summary, together with the related T4A slips, on or before the last day of February following the calendar year to which the slips apply. For information about the filing methods you may use, see Electronic filing methods
• Give recipients their T4A slips on or before the last day of February following the calendar year to which the information return applies. For more information, see Chapter 5 – T4A information return
• Keep your paper and electronic records for at least six years after the year to which they relate. If you want to destroy them before the six year period is over, fill out the Form T137, Request for Destruction of Records. For more information, go to Keeping records

Form TD1, Personal Tax Credits Return

Individuals who will receive salary, wages, commissions, employment insurance benefits, pensions, or other remuneration must fill out a federal Form TD1 and, if more than the basic personal amount is claimed, a provincial or territorial Form TD1. For more information, go to Get the completed TD1 forms from the individual.

Trustee in bankruptcy

Under the Canada Pension Plan and the Employment Insurance Act, the trustee in bankruptcy is the agent of the bankrupt employer in the event of an employer's liquidation, assignment, or bankruptcy.

If a bankrupt employer has deducted Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, employment insurance (EI) premiums, or income tax from amounts employees received before the bankruptcy and the employer has not remitted these amounts to the CRA, the trustee must hold the amounts in trust. These amounts are not part of the estate in bankruptcy and should be kept separate.

If a trustee carries on the bankrupt employer's business, a new business number (BN) is required. The trustee has to continue to deduct and remit the necessary CPP contributions, EI premiums, and income tax according to the bankrupt employer's remittance schedule. T4 slips should be prepared and filed in the usual way.

Amounts paid by a trustee to employees of a bankrupt corporation to settle claims for wages that the bankrupt employer did not pay are taxable income but payroll deductions (CPP contributions, EI premiums, and income tax) are not required. Report these payments in the "Other information" area of the T4A slip, using code 156. For more information, see Code 156 – Bankruptcy settlement.

If your business stops operating or the partner or proprietor dies

Remit all amounts you deducted from payments made to the recipients to your tax centre within seven calendar days of the day your business ends.

Calculate the pension adjustment (PA) that applies to your former employees who accrued benefits for the year under your registered pension plan (RPP) or deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP). For information on how to calculate PA, see Pension Adjustment (PA).

Fill out and file the T4A slips and T4A Summary electronically or on paper, and send them to the tax centre in Jonquière within 30 days of the day your business ends or 90 days from the date a partner or the sole proprietor dies. Give copies of the T4A slips to your former employees. If you file more than 5 slips for a calendar year, you must file your returns electronically. For more information, see Electronic filing methods.

After all the final returns and all the amounts owing have been processed and paid, close the BN and all CRA business accounts.

To close your payroll account, you may use the "Request to close payroll account" service in My Business Account. An authorized representative may use this service through Represent a Client.

Penalties, interest and other consequences

Failure to deduct

If you failed to deduct the required amount of income tax from the amounts you pay to recipients, you may be assessed a penalty as described below. As soon as you realize you did not deduct the proper amount of income tax, you should let the recipient know. The recipient may either pay the amount when they file their income tax and benefit return or they may ask you to deduct more income tax at source.

Penalty for failure to deduct

The CRA may assess a penalty of 10% of the amount of income tax you failed to deduct.

If you are assessed this penalty more than once in a calendar year, the CRA will apply a 20% penalty to the second or later failures if they were made knowingly or under circumstances of gross negligence.

Penalty for failure to remit and late remittances

The CRA may assess a penalty on the amount you failed to remit when:

• you deducted amounts, but did not remit them
• the CRA received the amounts you deducted after the due date

When a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday recognized by the CRA, your payment is considered on time if the CRA receives it or if it is postmarked on or before the next business day.

The penalty for remitting late is:

• 3% if the amount is one to three days late
• 5% if it is four or five days late
• 7% if it is six or seven days late
• 10% if it is more than seven days late or if no amount is remitted

Generally, the CRA only applies this penalty to the part of the amount you failed to remit that is more than $500. However, the CRA may apply the penalty to the total amount if the failure was made knowingly or under circumstances of gross negligence.

In addition, if you are charged this penalty more than once in a calendar year, the CRA may charge a 20% penalty on the second or later failures if they were made knowingly or under circumstances of gross negligence.

Due Date

For most people, the 2024 T4A filing due date is February 28, 2025.

You have to give the recipient their T4A slip and file your T4A return with the CRA on or before the T4A filing due date.

The CRA considers your T4A return to be filed on time if the CRA receives it or if it is postmarked by the due date.

Exception

If the due date falls on Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday recognized by the CRA, your T4A return is due the next business day.

Late filing penalty

The CRA may charge you a penalty if you file your T4A return late. The penalty is based on the number of T4A returns you filed late. The amount of the penalty is calculated based on the below chart. The minimum penalty is $100.

For example, if you file 100 T4A returns and 100 T4 returns late, the CRA would assess two late filing penalties: one for the T4A returns and another for the T4 returns.

The late filing penalty is recalculated if T4A returns are added or cancelled. The recalculation is based on the updated count of late T4A returns and the number of days they are late. A new notice of assessment will be sent to you. For T4A information returns, the CRA has an administrative policy that reduces the penalty that it assesses so it is fair and reasonable for small businesses.

Failure to file electronically

If you file more than 5 information returns for a calendar year, you must file the returns electronically. After filing the original return, slips may be amended, added or deleted in either paper or electronic format. For more information, see section Choose the filing method to amend, add, replace or cancel T4A slips.

If you do not file electronically when you are required to do so, the penalty the CRA assesses is based on the number of information returns filed in an incorrect format. Each slip is an information return.

The penalty is calculated per type of information return. For example, if you file 6 NR4 slips and 6 T4A slips on paper, the CRA would assess two penalties of $125, one per type of information return.

Interest

If you fail to pay an amount, the CRA may apply interest from the day your payment was due. The interest rate the CRA uses is determined every three months, based on prescribed interest rates. Interest is compounded daily. The CRA also applies interest to unpaid penalties. For the prescribed interest rates, go to Prescribed interest rates.

Cancel or waive penalties or interest

The CRA administers legislation, commonly called taxpayer relief provisions, that allows the CRA discretion to cancel or waive penalties or interest when taxpayers cannot meet their tax obligations due to circumstances beyond their control.

The CRA’s discretion to grant relief is limited to any period that ended within 10 calendar years before the year in which a request is made.

For penalties, the CRA will consider your request only if it relates to a tax year or fiscal period ending in any of the 10 calendar years before the year in which you make your request. For example, your request made in 2024 must relate to a penalty for a tax year or fiscal period ending in 2014 or later.

For interest on a balance owing for any tax year or fiscal period, the CRA will consider only the amounts that accrued during the 10 calendar years before the year in which you make your request. For example, your request made in 2024 must relate to interest that accrued in 2014 or later.

You or your authorized representative can make a request to cancel penalties or interest online using the CRA My Account, My Business Account or Represent a Client services by selecting "Request relief of penalties and interest" under "Related services." Alternatively, you can fill out Form RC4288, Request for Taxpayer Relief – Cancel or Waive Penalties and Interest, and send it online using My Account, My Business Account or Represent a Client by selecting the "Submit documents" service; or by mail to the designated office, as shown on the last page of the form, based on your place of residence.

For more information about how to submit documents online, go to Submit documents online. For more information about relief from penalties or interest and the related forms and publications, go to Cancel or waive penalties and interest at the CRA.

Chapter 2 – Deducting Income Tax

How to calculate tax deductions

The payroll deductions tables help you calculate the amount of federal, provincial, and territorial income tax that you have to deduct from amounts you pay. Use the provincial or territorial tables for the province or territory in which the recipient resides, unless you will be applying lump-sum withholding rates.

You may use any of the following versions of the payroll deductions tables:

• Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC) – You may use PDOC to calculate your payroll deductions. It calculates deductions for any pay period, province (except Quebec provincial taxes) and territory. The calculation is based on exact salary figures. For more information, go to Payroll Deductions Online Calculator
• Guide T4032, Payroll Deductions Tables and Guide T4008, Payroll Deductions Supplementary Tables – You may use these tables to calculate payroll deductions
• Guide T4127, Payroll Deductions Formulas – You may want to use these formulas instead of the tables to calculate your recipients’ payroll deductions. This guide contains formulas to calculate CPP contributions, EI premiums, and federal, provincial (except Quebec), and territorial income tax

If the computer formulas you want to use are different from the CRA's, you have to send them to a tax services office or tax centre for approval

All the payroll deductions tables are available for each province and territory and also for employees working in Canada beyond the limits of any province or territory, or working outside Canada.

If you fail to deduct the required amounts, the CRA may apply a failure to deduct penalty. For more information, see Penalties, interest and other consequences.

Special payments

Death benefits

A death benefit is the gross amount of any payment (including a payment to a surviving spouse or common-law partner, heir, or estate) on or after the death of an employee to recognize the employee's service in an office or employment. Wages and employment income earned up to and including the date of death are payments that are reported on a T4 slip, not a T4A slip. For more information, go to Death benefits.

If you pay a death benefit to a surviving spouse, common-law partner, or heir, part of this payment may be exempt from tax (to a maximum of $10,000) when the person files an income tax and benefit return. Do not deduct income tax from this part of the payment. For more information, see archived Interpretation Bulletin IT-508, Death Benefits.

Use the withholding rates for lump-sum payments shown below to deduct income tax from the remainder of the taxable amount of the death benefit. The T4A slip should be issued in the name of the recipient, not in the name of the deceased. For more information, go to Special payments chart.

Lump-sum payments

You have to deduct income tax from lump-sum payments that are:

• from a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) or a plan referred to in subsection 146(12) of the Income Tax Act (ITA) as an amended plan
• from a registered pension plan (RPP)
• from a deferred profit sharing plan (DPSP)
• more than the minimum amount you have to pay to an annuitant under a registered retirement income fund (RRIF)

If you pay a lump-sum payment (such as a refund of premiums) to a deceased annuitant's spouse or common-law partner, do not deduct income tax.

Do not report eligible and non-eligible retiring allowance amounts (including those amounts paid to Indians) on a T4A slip. Instead, report these types of income on a T4 slip. For more information on retiring allowances, go to Retiring allowances.

Withholding rates for lump-sum payments

Combine all lump-sum payments that you have paid or expect to pay in the calendar year when determining the composite rate to use. Use the following federal and provincial or territorial composite rates:

• 10% (5% for Quebec) on amounts up to and including $5,000
• 20% (10% for Quebec) on amounts over $5,000 up to and including $15,000
• 30% (15% for Quebec) on amounts over $15,000

Recipients may have to pay extra tax on these amounts when they file their returns. To avoid this situation, if a recipient requests it, you may:

• calculate the annual tax to deduct from the recipient's yearly remuneration, including the lump-sum payment. For more information, see the "Step-by-step calculation of tax deductions" section in Guide T4032, Payroll Deductions Tables of your province or territory
• calculate the annual tax to deduct from the recipient's yearly remuneration, not including the lump-sum payment
• subtract the second amount from the first amount

The result is the amount you deduct from the lump-sum payment if the recipient requests it.

Do not deduct income tax from a lump-sum payment if the recipient's total earnings received or receivable during the calendar year, including the lump-sum payment, are less than the claim amount on their Form TD1, Personal Tax Credits Return. This does not apply to lump-sum payments made to non-residents.

Qualifying retroactive lump-sum payments

Certain retroactive lump-sum payments totalling $3,000 or more (not including interest) are eligible for a special tax calculation when an individual files their income tax and benefits return, regardless of the amount of tax you withhold from the payment.

Eligible sources of income are:

• income from an office or employment received under:
  • an order or judgment from a court or other competent tribunal
  • an arbitration award
  • a lawsuit settlement agreement (including damages for loss of office or employment)
• benefits from unemployment insurance or employment insurance
• benefits from a superannuation or pension plan (other than non-periodic benefits such as lump-sum withdrawals)
• spousal, common-law partner, or child support payments
• benefits from a wage-loss replacement plan
• Canadian Forces members and veterans income replacement benefits

To qualify for a special tax calculation, the payments described on Form T1198, Statement of Qualifying Retroactive Lump-Sum Payment, must have been paid to the individual after 1994 for one or more years after 1977 throughout which the individual was a resident of Canada.

You have to provide the following information in writing to the recipient:

• the year in which the lump-sum payment was made to the recipient
• a complete description of the lump-sum payment and the circumstances that required it to be paid
• the total amount of the lump-sum payment, including a breakdown between the principal and the interest element, if any
• the principal amount of the lump-sum payment that relates to the current year and each of the previous years covered by the payment

As the payer, fill out Form T1198 for a recipient. To ask for the special tax calculation, the recipient has to attach that form to their paper income tax and benefit return for the year of payment and send the return to their tax centre.

Transfer of funds

A lump-sum payment may be directly transferred, within income tax limits (as explained below), from an RPP or a DPSP to an RPP, an RRSP, specified pension plan (SPP), pooled registered pension plan (PRPP) or a RRIF. A lump-sum payment from a DPSP may also be transferred directly to another DPSP, or used to purchase an advanced life deferred annuity (ALDA). In addition, a lump-sum payment may be transferred directly from a money purchase RPP to purchase an ALDA. Do not deduct tax on an amount that you transfer directly (not paid to the recipient) to an RPP, an RRSP, a DPSP, SPP, PRPP, or a RRIF, or used to purchase an ALDA.

Trustees and administrators may use Form T2151, Direct Transfer of a Single Amount Under Subsection 147(19) or Section 147.3, to transfer a lump-sum payment directly for a recipient. To transfer amounts from a registered plan to purchase an ALDA as an issuer of an RRSP, the carrier of a RRIF, the administrator of a PRPP or money purchase RPP and the trustee of a DPSP, you must use Form T2157, Direct Transfer from a Registered Plan to Purchase an ALDA. The transferring entity is required to complete a T4RSP, T4RIF or T4A slip for the transfer, as applicable.

The ITA sometimes limits how much of an RPP lump-sum payment you may transfer directly to registered plans. If the amount you transfer is more than these limits, the recipient has to include the excess transfer in their income and you have to deduct income tax on the amount you did not directly transfer. You cannot transfer this amount to another RPP, RRSP, DPSP, SPP, PRPP, or RRIF.

Amounts from RRSPs, RRIFs, PRPPs, and SPPs may also be transferred on a tax-deferred basis in accordance with various provisions of the ITA. An ALDA is a qualifying annuity purchase for an RRSP, RRIF, DPSP, PRPP and money purchase RPP.

For more information about transferring funds between plans, go to Transfer of funds.

Patronage payments

Patronage payments include:

• certificates of indebtedness
• amounts credited towards the balance a recipient may owe the payer of the patronage
• shares of a corporation that an individual receives because of a patronage payment

You have to apply a withholding tax of 15% on the value of patronage payments that Canadian residents receive in a year. This withholding tax applies to the payment or to the total of several payments of more than $100 you made during the year.

Fill in the remittance voucher at the bottom of Form PD7A, Statement of account for current source deductions, and include it with the deducted amount you are sending to the Receiver General.

The withholding tax does not apply to Canadian residents who are exempt under section 149 of the ITA.

For more information, see archived Interpretation Bulletin IT-362, Patronage Dividends.

Registered education savings plan (RESP)

Investment earnings in an RESP may be paid to the subscriber or, in some circumstances, to a person other than the subscriber. These payments are called accumulated income payments (AIPs).

Two different taxes are applied to an AIP: the regular income tax under Part I of the ITA, and an extra tax of 20% (12% for residents of Quebec) under Part X.5 of the ITA.

The taxable amount may be reduced up to a lifetime maximum of $50,000, if both of the following conditions are met:

• the recipient of the AIPs is the original subscriber, or acquired the former subscribers' rights as a consequence of marriage breakdown or, where there is no subscriber of the plan, they are or were the spouse or common-law partner of a deceased subscriber
• the recipient has filled out Form T1171, Tax Withholding Waiver on Accumulated Income Payments from RESPs, and asks that you transfer the payment directly to their RRSP, PRPP, SPP or spousal or common-law partner's RRSP or SPP

If you are satisfied that these conditions and those explained on Form T1171 are met and you may reasonably believe that the recipient of an AIP will deduct that amount as an RRSP, PRPP or SPP contribution for the year you paid it, you do not have to withhold tax on the amount transferred.

The taxable amount is the AIP minus the reduction determined on Form T1171.

Report all payments from an RESP on a T4A slip.

For more information, see RESP – Accumulated income payments.

Tax-free savings account (TFSA)

Generally, income earned in a TFSA is tax-free, even when it is withdrawn. However, special rules apply if the arrangement stops being a TFSA for any of the following reasons:

• the TFSA stops being a "qualifying arrangement" as defined in subsection 146.2(1) of the ITA
• the conditions set out in subsection 146.2(2) of the ITA are not satisfied
• the last TFSA holder dies

The following comments refer to the death of the last TFSA holder. However, with the exception of the exempt period rule, which only applies on the death of the last holder under a trusteed arrangement, similar rules apply under the three reasons mentioned above.

If the holder of a deposit or an annuity contract that is a TFSA dies, the holder is considered to have disposed of the deposit or the annuity. Each person who has an interest in the deposit or annuity is considered to have acquired that interest at the time of the holder's death at a cost equal to the fair market value (FMV) of the deposit or annuity as valued just before death. After the holder's death, a deposit or annuity contract is no longer considered to be a TFSA and is subject to the normal reporting, withholding and income inclusion rules that apply to deposits and annuities.

Where the holder of a TFSA that is a trusteed arrangement dies, the trust will, in general, stop being a TFSA at the date of death. However, the trust will, for certain purposes, continue to be treated as a TFSA from the date of death until the end of the calendar year following the year of death, or when the trust ends, if earlier (the exempt period). During the exempt period, property held in the TFSA may be distributed tax-free to the beneficiaries as long as the total amount distributed is not more than the FMV of the property held in the trust just before the holder's death. Any amounts paid to a beneficiary in excess of this limit must be included in the beneficiary's income in the year the amounts are paid and must be reported as income to the beneficiaries on a T4A slip (if the amounts are more than $50). You do not have to deduct income tax on these amounts.

For example, a TFSA could be valued at $10,000 at the date of death, but by the time it is distributed to the beneficiary, the account could be worth $11,000. The extra $1,000 is taxable income in the hands of the beneficiary if paid out within the exempt period, and a T4A must be prepared by the issuer reporting that amount.

If the trust continues to exist after the exempt period ends, the trust will be taxable and will have to include in its income any income earned afterwards. Also, for its first tax year that starts after the end of the exemption period, the trust must also include in its income any post-death income or appreciation that has not been distributed and included in a beneficiary’s income during the exempt period. The trust would be taxable on these income inclusions unless they are payable in the year to the beneficiaries of the trust, based on the trust rules described in Guide T4013, T3 Trust Guide.

For more information, see Guide RC4477, Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) Guide for Issuers, and Guide RC4466, Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), Guide for Individuals.

Chapter 3 – T4A slips

Filling out T4A slips

Make sure the social insurance number (SIN) or a program account number and name you enter on the T4A slip for each recipient are correct.

If an individual does not give you their SIN, you must be able to show that you made a reasonable effort to get it. A valid program account number may be provided as an alternative (such as a GST/HST account number) if the individual is a sole proprietor. For businesses that are partnerships or corporations, a program account number may be provided but is not required for a completion of the T4A.

For more information, go to Get the social insurance number (SIN) from the individual.

When filling out T4A slips:

• Income is reported on a T4A slip for the year in which it is paid, regardless of when it was earned
• If a box does not have a value, do not enter "nil" or "N/A". Leave the box blank
• Do not change the headings of any of the boxes
• Report, in dollars and cents, all amounts you paid during the year, except pension adjustment amounts, which are reported in dollars only. For more information, see Code 034 – Pension adjustment
• Do not enter hyphens or dashes between numbers
• Do not enter the dollar sign ($)

How to report foreign income in Canadian dollars

Report all T4A amounts in Canadian dollars as per the Income Tax Act (ITA) requirements.

Bank of Canada

In general, the foreign currency amount should be converted using the Bank of Canada exchange rate in effect on the day it arises. For more information, go to Exchange rates.

Other acceptable sources

The CRA will also generally accept a rate for that day from another source if it is:

• widely available
• verifiable
• published by an independent provider on an ongoing basis
• recognized by the market
• used in accordance with well-accepted business principles
• used to prepare financial statements (if any)
• used regularly from year to year

Other sources for rates that the CRA generally accepts include Bloomberg L.P., Thomson Reuters Corporation and OANDA Corporation.

For more information, including circumstances where an average rate may be used to convert foreign currency amounts, go to Income Tax Folio S5-F4-C1, Income Tax Reporting Currency.

Detailed instructions

Recipient's name and address

Enter the last name of the person to whom you made the payment, followed by the first name and initials. For a business, enter the legal or registered operating name provided. Directly below the name, enter the person’s or business’s address, including the province, territory, or U.S. state, Canadian postal code or U.S. zip code, and country.

Payer's name

Enter your operating or trading name in the space provided on each slip.

Year

Enter the four digits of the calendar year in which you made the payment to the recipient.

Box 012 – Social insurance number

Enter the recipient's SIN, as provided by the employee or sole proprietor.

Do not use box 012 if you are a partnership or a corporation.

See Filling out T4A slips for information on your obligations to provide a valid SIN.

Box 013 – Recipient's program account number (15 characters)

Enter the recipient's business account number (BN) if available. If this box is completed then box 012 is not required.

Box 015 – Payer-Offered Dental Benefits

For calendar year 2023 and after, if an amount is reported in box 016, it is mandatory to indicate whether the recipient or any of their family members were eligible, on December 31 of that year, to access any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind, that you offered. Otherwise, box 015 is optional.

Box 016 – Pension or superannuation

Enter the taxable part of annuity payments you paid to an employee, retired employee, or survivor or spouse of an employee out of, or under, a superannuation or registered pension fund or plan, including disability benefits paid as a life annuity.

Special situations

• In general, you do not include benefits paid from an unregistered pension plan in box 016. Instead, periodic payments from an unregistered pension plan are included using code 109, and lump-sum payments from an unregistered pension plan are included using code 190. One exception is where you made periodic payments from an unregistered pension plan to a Canadian resident for services that the person rendered in a period throughout which the person did not reside in Canada. Those payments should be included in box 016
• Include disability benefits paid as a life annuity out of superannuation or RPP in box 016. Include any other disability benefits paid out of a superannuation or pension plan in the "Other information" area, using code 125
• If you made payments out of an employee benefit plan (EBP) that are not payments of superannuation or pension benefits, these should be reported on a T4 slip. For more information, go to T4 slip – Information to employers and type box 14 in the filter box
• Do not include amounts paid out of a retirement compensation arrangement. Use a T4A-RCA slip, Statement of Distributions from a Retirement Compensation Arrangement (RCA), for these amounts
• Indian (exempt income) – pension or superannuation – Pension or superannuation income is usually exempt from tax when a person receives it as a result of employment income that was exempt from tax. If a part of the employment income was exempt, then a similar part of these amounts is also exempt. Do not include exempt income in box 016. Instead, include it in the "Other information" area using code 146
• Include veterans’ benefits eligible for pension splitting in box 016. For more information, see Code 128 – Veterans’ benefits eligible for pension splitting

Box 018 – Lump-sum payments

In box 018, enter the taxable part of a single payment out of a pension fund or plan including any single payment resulting from a:

• withdrawal from the plan, retirement from employment, or death of an employee or former employee
• termination of, amendment to, or modification of the plan
• reimbursement of any over-contributions to the plan

Enter the taxable part of a lump-sum death benefit paid out of an ALDA. Also, enter the taxable part of any single payment out of a deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP) including a single payment due to a withdrawal from the plan, retirement from employment, death of an employee or former employee, or reimbursement of any over-contributions to the plan.

Special situations

• Non-registered plan – You have to identify pension benefits you paid from a pension fund or plan that is not registered. Report the amount in box 018. Also, in the Other information area, enter code 190 and the amount of the payment
• If you include lump-sum payments out of RPPs and DPSPs accrued to December 31, 1971, report the amount in box 018, in the Other information area, enter code 110 and the amount of the payment
• Direct transfers – Do not include direct transfers of RPP lump-sum payments to RRSPs, SPPs, PRPPs, RRIFs, or other RPPs that are transferred according to subsections 147.3(1) to (8) of the Income Tax Act (ITA). Similarly, do not report direct transfers of DPSP lump-sum payments to RRSPs, SPPs, PRPPs, RRIFs, or other DPSPs that are transferred according to subsection 147(19) of the ITA. These amounts are not reported when they are directly transferred under these subsections, and the receiving carrier should not issue receipts. You may use Form T2151, Direct Transfer of a Single Amount Under Subsection 147(19) or Section 147.3, to document these direct transfers
• Amounts not eligible for transfer – Amounts transferred that are greater than the amounts allowed under subsections 147.3(1) to (8) or 147(19) of the ITA are considered income in the year they are transferred. Report such amounts in box 018. The receiving carrier should issue a receipt for these excess transfers

  If you paid a single amount out of an RPP or a DPSP to an individual or you transferred such an amount that the CRA considers to be income, you must report this amount in the Other information area, using code 108 for an RPP and code 180 for a DPSP

• Deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP) – Use box 018 to report the total of amounts you allocated or reallocated in the year under a DPSP or a revoked plan to a person described in paragraph 147(2)(k.2) of the ITA for:
  • employer contributions made to the plan after December 1, 1982
  • amounts forfeited in the plan if these amounts are withdrawn from the plan during the year

  If you allocated an amount under subsection 147(10.3) of the ITA in a previous year and you made the payment in the current year, you have to report the amount of the payment. In the Other information area, enter code 180 and the amount of the payment

• Lump-sum payments – non-resident – You may have paid superannuation or pension benefits to a Canadian resident under an unregistered pension plan for services that the person rendered in a period throughout which the person did not reside in Canada. If you paid the benefits in a lump-sum, report the amount in box 018. The recipient may be able to transfer the amount to an RPP, SPP, PRPP or RRSP and deduct the amount of the transfer under paragraph 60(j) if the conditions in that provision are satisfied. However, if you made such a direct transfer, report the amount in box 018, and in the Other information area, enter code 102 and the amount of the transfer

  If you made payments out of an EBP that are not payments of superannuation or pension benefits, these should be reported on a T4 slip. For more information, see T4 slip – Information for employers and type box 14 and the filter box

• Lump-sum payments that you cannot transfer, that are not reported elsewhere – If you paid an amount that does not come from an RPP or a DPSP that is not eligible for transfer and that is not required to be reported elsewhere, report the amount in box 018 and in the Other information area, enter code 158 and the amount of the payment
• Indian (exempt income) – lump-sum payments – Lump-sum payment income is usually exempt from tax when a person receives it as a result of employment income that was exempt from tax. If a part of the employment income was exempt, then a similar part of these amounts is also exempt. Do not include the exempt income in box 018. Instead, include it in the Other information area using code 148

• First home savings account (FHSA) – When the holder of an FHSA designates a qualified donee (a registered charity) as their beneficiary, a T4A must be prepared by the issuer reporting that amount.

  The issuer must use code 134 of the T4A to report the FHSA beneficiary distribution received by the qualified donee and the corresponding income tax deducted in box 022 of the T4A.

  The issuer must use code 134 of the T4A to report the amount deemed received on FHSA cessation by the qualified donee. You must report this amount in the “Other information” area, enter code 134 and the amount.

Box 020 – Self-employed commissions

Enter the amount of commissions you paid to an independent agent. Do not include GST/HST paid to the recipient on those services.

Box 022 – Income tax deducted

Enter the total income tax you deducted from the recipient's remuneration during the year. This includes the federal, provincial (except Quebec), and territorial taxes that apply. Leave the box blank if you did not deduct tax.

Do not include an amount you withheld under the authority of a garnishee or a requirement to pay that applies to the employee's previously charged tax arrears.

Box 024 – Annuities

Enter payments from an annuity that an individual bought with a refund of premiums from a deceased annuitant's RRSP. For more information, go to Refund of premiums from an RRSP.

Enter annuity payments from a life annuity purchased from the proceeds of a life income fund or from the proceeds of a registered retirement income fund.

Enter only annuity payments from an ALDA in box 024. For information about ALDA putransfers, see Code 037 – Advanced life deferred annuity purchase.

If you include annuity payments under an income averaging annuity contract, also report the amount of the payments in the Other information area, using code 111.

If you include instalment or annuity payments under a DPSP, also report the amount of the payment in Other information using code 115. For more information, go to Payments from a deferred profit sharing plan.

The taxable part of annuity payments you paid to an employee, retired employee, or survivor or spouse of an employee out of, or under, a superannuation or pension fund or plan, including disability benefits paid as a life annuity should be reported in box 016 instead of box 024.

Box 048 – Fees for services

Enter any fees or other amounts paid for services. Do not include GST/HST paid to the recipient for these services.

Box 061 – Payer's program account number

Enter the 15-character account number you use to send your recipients' deductions to the CRA. This number appears in the top left corner of the statement of account that the CRA sends to you each month, and consists of three parts – a nine-digit business number, a two-letter program identifier, and a four-digit reference number.

Your account number should not appear on the copies of the T4A slips that you give to the recipients.

Other information

The "Other information" area at the bottom of the T4A slip has boxes for you to enter codes and amounts that relate to other types of payments, if they apply.

The boxes are not pre-numbered as they are in the top part of the slip. Enter the codes that apply to the recipient. Income types previously reported under Code 028 – Other income and identified with footnote codes have, in most cases, been replaced by specific box numbers.

Code 014 – Recipient's number

If you wish, you may enter a retiree number, an employee number, or a payroll number. In the "Other information" area, enter code 014 and the recipient's number. If you prefer, you may enter the recipient's number in the "Recipient's name" area of the T4A slip. The recipient address area cannot be used for this purpose.

Code 028 – Other income

Enter any other amount which you do not have to report elsewhere on a T4A slip or other information slip if the amount is more than $500 or if you deducted income tax. In most cases, identified amounts are assigned a separate area for reporting.

For more information, go to T4A – Information for payers.

Employees who are eligible to claim the northern residents deduction for travel benefits will use the information included in boxes 32 and 33 of their T4 slip to correctly calculate their deduction on form T2222, Northern Residents Deductions for 2024. For more information, see Line 25500 – Northern residents deductions or see Travel assistance benefits paid in a prescribed zone.

Code 030 – Patronage allocations

Report all allocations you gave to customers for their patronage. This includes payments you made in cash or in kind, by certificate of indebtedness, issue of shares, set-off, assignment, or in any other way. Your allocations should be in proportion to the patronage.

Code 032 – Registered pension plan contributions (past service)

Enter the contributions a former employee made to buy past service. The plan administrator usually fills out the T4A slip when an employer-employee relationship no longer exists. Include any instalment interest paid for past service contributions. Instalment interest is the portion of contributions that represents the amount charged to buy past service over time. In the Other information area, enter code 032 and the amount of the payment.

Past service contributions for 1989 or earlier years while a contributor, include the amount twice, using both code 032 and code 126.

Past service contributions for 1989 or earlier years while not a contributor, include the amount twice, using both code 032 and code 162.

Code 034 – Pension adjustment

If you are the plan administrator for a multi-employer plan (MEP), you should enter, in dollars only, the amount of PA an employee has under an RPP during a period of leave or reduced services. For more information, see Pension Adjustment (PA). For periods of leave or reduced services not under a MEP, report the PA on a T4 slip.

Code 036 – Plan registration number

Enter the registration number the CRA issued for the RPP or DPSP, in which an employee participates, and which gave rise to the PA you are reporting. You have to report the plan number even if your plan requires only employer contributions. If you made contributions to more than one plan for the employee, enter only the number of the plan under which the employee has the largest PA.

Enter registration numbers (not more than three) for any additional plans on lines 071, 072, and 073 of the T4A Summary.

Code 037 – Advanced life deferred annuity purchase

Enter the total annuity amount transferred from a money purchase RPP, PRPP or DPSP. If an amount exceeding the individual’s lifetime limit has been purchased, the excess amount that is transferred back to a qualified registered plan must be reported as a negative amount in this box. Do not report this amount in box 024.

Code 040 – RESP accumulated income payments

If you are the promoter of an RESP and you paid RESP accumulated income payments to a subscriber of the plan, report this amount in the Other information area using code 040.

If the subscriber and the subscriber's spouse or common-law partner are deceased and you pay the RESP accumulated income payments to someone else, in the Other information area enter code 122 and the amount of the payment.

Code 042 – RESP educational assistance payments

If you are the promoter of an RESP, and you paid RESP educational assistance payments (amounts other than a refund of contributions) to or for an individual to help further their education at a post-secondary school level, report this amount in the Other information area using code 042 on the T4A slip.For more information on these payments, go to Educational assistance payments (EAP).

Code 046 – Charitable donations

Enter the amount you deducted from the recipients' earnings for donations to registered charities in Canada in the Other information area using code 046.

Code 102 – Lump-sum payments – non-resident services transferred under paragraph 60(j)

For more information, see "Lump-sum payments – non-resident" under Box 018 – Lump-sum payments.

Code 104 – Research grants

Enter the total amount of research grants you paid to the recipient.

Code 105 – Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, and artists' project grants

For more information, see Income Tax Folio, S1-F2-C3, Scholarships, Research Grants and Other Education Assistance.

An amount reported here for Postdoctoral Fellowship income must also be reported at new code 210, “Postdoctoral Fellowship income.”

Code 106 – Death benefits

Enter the gross amount (includes the non-taxable portion) of any payment made (including a payment to a surviving spouse, common-law partner, heir, or estate) on or after the death of an employee to recognize the employee's service in an office or employment.

Code 107 – Payments from a wage-loss replacement plan

Enter benefits paid under a wage‑loss replacement plan where you do not have to withhold CPP or EI premiums or both. For more information go to Wage loss replacement plans.

Code 108 – Lump-sum payments from a registered pension plan (RPP) that you cannot transfer

For more information, see "Amounts not eligible for transfer" under Box 018 – Lump sum payments.

Code 109 – Periodic payments from an unregistered plan

Enter pension benefits you paid from a pension fund or plan that is not registered.

Code 110 – Lump-sum payments accrued to December 31, 1971

For more information, see "Special situations" under Box 018 – Lump sum payments.

Code 111 – Income averaging annuity contracts (IAAC)

For more information, see Box 024 – Annuities.

Code 115 – Deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP) annuity or instalment payments

For more information, see Box 024 – Annuities.

Code 116 – Medical travel assistance

For more information, see Benefits from a third party.

Code 117 – Loan benefits

Enter the benefits of a loan that a person or partnership received as a shareholder or related to a shareholder.

Code 118 – Medical premium benefits

Enter the premiums you pay as a contribution to a provincial or territorial health services insurance plan for a former employee. For more information, go to Premiums under provincial hospitalization, medical care insurance, and certain Government of Canada plans.

Code 119 – Premiums paid to a group term life insurance plan

If you provided group term life insurance taxable benefits for former employees or retirees, you must report the benefit in the Other information area using code 119. The $500 reporting threshold for T4A slips does not apply.

If you are the administrator or trustee of a MEP and you provided taxable benefits under the plan to employees, former employees, or retirees, report this amount in the Other information area using code 119 if it is more than $25.

Code 122 – RESP accumulated income payments paid to other

For more information, see Code 040 – RESP accumulated income payments.

Code 123 – Payments from a revoked DPSP

Enter any payments made from a revoked DPSP.

Code 124 – Board and lodging at special work sites

For more information, see Benefits from a third party.

Code 125 – Disability benefits paid out of a superannuation or pension plan

Enter any disability benefits paid out of a superannuation or pension plan. These payments do not require payroll deductions (CPP/QPP, EI, PPIP, and income tax).

Code 126 – Pre-1990 past service contributions while a contributor

For more information, see Code 032 – Registered pension plan contributions (past service).

Code 127 – Veterans' benefits

Enter the sum of the following amounts:

• amounts paid in the year for an income replacement benefit payable under Part 2 of the Veterans Well-being Act (other than an amount determined under subsection 19.1(1), paragraph 23(1)(b) or subsection 26.1(1) of the Veterans Well-being Act, as modified where applicable, under Part 5 of that Act)
• amounts paid in the year that were payable under any of subsections 99(6), 109(1) and 115(5) and sections 124 to 126 of the Veterans Well-being Act

Code 128 – Veterans’ benefits eligible for pension splitting

Enter the amounts paid in the year for an income replacement benefit payable under Part 2 of the Veterans Well-being Act, if the amount is determined under subsection 19.1(1), paragraph 23(1)(b) or subsection 26.1(1) of that Act (as modified, where applicable, under Part 5 of that Act).

Also, report this sum in box 016.

Code 129 – Tax deferred cooperative share

Enter all tax deferred cooperative shares issued by an agricultural cooperative in the year.

Code 130 – Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women or Apprenticeship completion grant

Enter Apprenticeship Incentive Grants or Apprenticeship Incentive Grants for Women paid to registered apprentices who have successfully completed their first or second year/level (or equivalent) of their apprenticeship program in a Red Seal trade.

Enter Apprenticeship Completion Grants paid to registered apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship training in a Red Seal trade.

Code 131 – Registered disability savings plan

Enter payments paid to an RDSP plan beneficiary.

Code 132 – Wage earner protection program

Enter payments paid to workers due to employer bankruptcy or insolvency.

Code 133 – Variable pension benefits

Enter variable pension benefits paid out of a money purchase RPP.

Enter the variable payment life annuity amount paid from a PRPP and money purchase RPP.

Code 134 – Tax‑free savings account (TFSA) taxable amount or taxable first home savings account (FHSA) – amount for a qualified donee

TFSA: Enter the taxable portion of amounts paid during the exempt period to a beneficiary who is a resident of Canada. For more information, see Guide RC4477, Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) Guide for Issuers.

FHSA: Enter the FHSA beneficiary distribution received or the amount deemed received on FHSA cessation by the qualified donee (a registered charity).

Code 135 – Recipient-paid premiums for private health services plans

A recipient may claim, as a qualifying medical expense, premiums the person paid to a private health services plan. The use of code 135 is optional. If you do not use this code, the CRA may ask the recipient to provide supporting documents.

Code 136 – Parents of Murdered or Missing Children/Parents of Young Victims of Crimes

Enter amounts paid out to the beneficiary from the Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime.

Code 144 – Indian Act (exempt income) – Other income

Enter all amounts that are exempt income for Indians and are not reported elsewhere on a T4A slip.

Code 146 – Indian Act (exempt income) – Pension or superannuation

Pension or superannuation income is usually exempt from tax when a person receives them as a result of employment income that was exempt from tax. If a part of the employment income was exempt, then a similar part of these amounts is also exempt. Report the exempt income in the section "Other information" using code 146. Do not report this amount in box 016.

Code 148 – Indian Act (exempt income) – Lump-sum payments

Lump-sum payment income is usually exempt from tax when a person receives them as a result of employment income that was exempt from tax. If a part of the employment income was exempt, then a similar part of these amounts is also exempt. Report this amount in the section "Other information" using code 148. Do not report this amount in box 018.

Code 150 – Labour Adjustment Benefits Act and Appropriation Acts

Enter payments under the Labour Adjustment Benefits Act or a benefit payable under the Appropriation Acts to compensate for loss of office or employment, such as in the textile and leather-tanning industries.

Code 152 – SUBP qualified under the Income Tax Act

Enter payments received under a registered SUBP that is registered under the Income Tax Act (not including maternity/ parental top ups which are included on a T4 slip).

Code 154 – Cash award or prize from payer

Enter an award or prize paid directly from a manufacturer to the employee of a dealer or other sales organization.

Enter amounts paid by a trustee in bankruptcy to employees of a bankrupt corporation in settlement of claims filed for wages that the bankrupt employer did not pay.

Code 156 – Bankruptcy settlement

Enter amounts paid by a trustee in bankruptcy to employees of a bankrupt corporation in settlement of claims filed for wages that the bankrupt employer did not pay.

Code 158 – Lump-sum payments that you cannot transfer that are not reported elsewhere

For more information, see the "Special situations" listed under Box 018 – Lump-sum payments.

Code 162 – Pre-1990 past services contributions while not a contributor

For more information, see Code 032 – Registered pension plan contributions (past service).

Code 180 – Lump-sum payments from a deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP) that you cannot transfer

For more information, see "Deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP)" and "Amounts not eligible for transfer" under Box 018 – Lump-sum payments.

Code 190 – Lump-sum payments from an unregistered plan

For more information, see "Non-registered plan" under Box 018 – Lump sum payments.

Code 194 – PRPP payments

Enter the amount of the annuity payments from taxable income or withdrawals from a PRPP at any age.

Code 195 – Indian Act (exempt income) – PRPP payments

Enter the amount of PRPP payments that are exempt income for Indians.

Code 196 – Tuition assistance for adult basic education

Enter the amount of funding or other financial assistance you paid on behalf of the individual for tuition fees for the individual’s adult basic education training provided under a program established under the authority of the Department of Employment and Social Development Act (such as the Canada Job Grant program). This amount, which is eligible for the adult basic education tuition assistance deduction, is also included in code 105.

Generally, adult basic education is primary or secondary level education, or other forms of training where tuition fees paid for the training would not be eligible in calculating the tuition tax credit; for example, training provided by an educational institution that is not certified by Employment and Social Development Canada.

Code 200 – Provincial/Territorial COVID-19 financial assistance payments

Enter amounts that were paid as financial assistance by a provincial or territorial government to support individuals affected by COVID-19 and that are taxable under subparagraphs 56(1)(r)(i) or (iv), or clause 56(1)(r)(iv.1)(E) of the Income Tax Act, minus any amounts repaid within the same tax year.

Code 201 – Repayment of COVID-19 financial assistance

Enter the amount of federal, provincial or territorial COVID-19 financial assistance payments that were repaid in the year in respect of an overpayment of federal, provincial or territorial COVID-19 financial assistance payments received in a prior year.

Code 210 – Postdoctoral Fellowship Income

Enter the amount of postdoctoral fellowship income.

For 2021 and later tax years, new income code 210 has been introduced to report Postdoctoral Fellowship income. An amount reported here must also be included at “Code 105 – Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, and artists’ project grants.”

Benefits from a third party

A third party (such as a prime contractor or another subcontractor) may provide board and lodging or transportation to employees of subcontractors. For example, all workers on a site may share common quarters.

The person who provides the benefits (a third-party payer) has to report them on a T4A slip, unless the benefits are non-taxable allowances for working at a special work site or remote work location. The reporting of medical travel assistance and board and lodging at special work sites is explained below.

Code 116 – Medical travel assistance

If an employee usually lives in a prescribed zone and works at a special work site in a prescribed zone, report any non-business travel assistance (including medical travel assistance) in the Other information area using code 028. Separate the medical travel from the other non-business travel and enter the medical travel amount in the Other information area using code 116.

Code 124 – Board and lodging at special work sites

If an employee does not usually live in a prescribed zone but works at a special work site in a prescribed zone and meets the residency requirements for the northern residents' deductions, do not include in box 028 the exempt portion for board and lodging benefits the employee receives while working at the special work site which is within 30 kilometres from the nearest urban area having a population of at least 40,000 persons. Report that amount in the Other information area using code 124.

Filing T4A slips

For a description of the filing methods available, see Chapter 5 – T4A information return, or go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) - Overview.

Chapter 4 – T4A Summary

If you are filing electronically, do not send a paper copy of the slips or summary to the CRA. For more information about filing methods, see Electronic filing methods, or go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview.

If you are filing on paper, use the T4A Summary, Summary of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income, to report the totals of the amounts that you reported on the T4A slips. Send the original T4A Summary and the related slips to the Tax center in Jonquière. To get a T4A Summary, go to Forms and Publications or call 1-800-959-5525.

If you file more than 5 information returns for a calendar year, you must file the returns electronically.

Do not send a summary with no T4A slips or a summary with no amounts to report to the CRA.

You cannot change your address using the summary return. To change your address, do one of the following:

• if you are a business owner, go to My Business Account
• if you are an authorized representative or employee, go to Represent a Client
• if you prefer to contact your tax centre, you will find the address at Tax Centre (TC)

Filling out the T4A Summary

Report amounts in Canadian dollars and cents, even if they were paid in another currency.

Fill out a separate T4A Summary for each of your payroll accounts. The totals you report on your T4A Summary have to agree with the totals you report on your T4A slips. Errors or omissions may cause unnecessary processing delays.

Detailed instructions

Identification

Enter your 15-character account number, your operating or trading name, and your address in the relevant boxes at the top of the blank summary.

Year

Enter the last two digits of the calendar year for which you are filing the summary.

Line 088 – Total number of T4A slips filed

Enter the total number of T4A slips that you are including with the T4A Summary.

Lines 016 to 048

Enter the total from all T4A slips for each box.

Line 101 – Other information

Enter the total from all T4A slips of any financial amounts not already included elsewhere on the T4A Summary.

Line 022 – Total income tax deducted

Enter the total of box 022 from all T4A slips.

Line 082 – Minus: remittances

Enter the total amount you remitted for the year for the account number indicated in the identification area of the summary.

Difference

Subtract line 082 from line 022. Enter the difference in the space provided. If there is no difference between the total deductions you reported and the amount you remitted for the year, leave lines 084 and 086 blank. Generally, the CRA does not charge or refund a difference of $2 or less.

Line 084 – Overpayment

If the amount on line 082 is more than the amount on line 022 (and you do not have to file another type of return for this account), enter the difference on line 084. Attach a note indicating the reason for the overpayment and whether you want the CRA to transfer this amount to another account or another year, or refund the overpayment to you.

Line 086 – Balance due

If the amount on line 022 is more than the amount on line 082, enter the difference on line 086.

Whether you file electronically or file a paper return, you may make your payment in several different ways:

• You may pay online by using your financial institution’s online banking or telephone services
• You may pay online by using CRA’s Pay now with My Payment
• You may pay by setting up a pre-authorized debit agreement using My Business Account
• You may pay in person at your financial institution in Canada. Fill out your remittance form and present it with your payment. The financial institution will date stamp the bottom part and return the top part to you as a receipt

Lines 071, 072, and 073 – Registration number(s) for RPP or DPSP

Enter the seven-digit registration number(s) that the CRA gave you (up to a maximum of three) for your registered pension plans or deferred profit sharing plans.

Lines 074 and 075 – Canadian-controlled private corporations or unincorporated employers

Enter the social insurance numbers of any proprietors or principal owners.

Lines 076 and 078 – Person to contact about this return

Enter the name and telephone number of a person that the CRA may call to get or clarify information reported on the summary.

Chapter 5 – T4A information return

In all instances, you have to file your T4A information return on or before the last day of February after the calendar year the information return applies to. If the last day of February falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a holiday recognized by the CRA, your information return is due on the next business day. For more information, see When to remit (pay).

If you fail to file it on time, the CRA may assess a penalty. For more information, see Penalties, interest and other consequences.

If you have more than one payroll account, you will have to file a separate return for each account.

If you have overpaid, include a letter explaining the reason for the overpayment and how you want the CRA to apply it. If you owe an amount, include the account number and tax year with your payment.

Service bureaus filing returns – If a service bureau is filing an information return for you, you are still responsible for the accuracy of the information, for any balance owing, and for filing on time.

Branch offices filing returns – If the branch office of a company has sent in income tax deductions under a separate account, which only that office uses, file the information return (slips and related summary) for that office as a separate return.

Electronic filing methods

Electronic filing will be available starting January 13, 2025.

You must file electronically if you have more than 5 information returns of the same type. If you use commercial or in house developed payroll software to manage your business, you may file up to 150 MB by Internet file transfer. For example, a service bureau may file multiple returns in one submission, provided the total submission does not exceed the 150 MB restriction.

If your return is more than 150 MB, you may either compress your return or divide it so that each submission is no more than 150 MB.

Web Forms

You can file up to 100 slips using Web Forms. Web Forms lets you do all of the following:

• file original, additional, amended, and cancelled slips directly from the CRA website
• create an electronic information return
• validate data in real time, with prompts to correct errors before filing your slips
• calculate the totals for the summary
• save and import information
• print slips and summary
• send encrypted returns over the internet

After you submit your information return, you will receive a confirmation number that will be your proof that the CRA has received it.

To use the Web Forms application, you must have a web access code. If you do not have a web access code, you may easily get one online or by calling the CRA. For more information, see Web access code.

To start using this application or to get more information about Web Forms, go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview.

Internet file transfer (XML)

Internet file transfer allows you to transmit an original or amended return with a maximum file size of 150 MB. All you need is a web browser to connect to the Internet, and your software will create, print, and save your electronic information return in XML format. For information about this filing method, contact your software publisher or go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview.

Web access code (WAC)

To file your return electronically using the Internet file transfer or Web Forms services, you will need a business number and its associated WAC, unless you are filing through My Business Account or Represent a Client. For information about these services, see the next section Filing without a web access code. If you have misplaced or do not have a WAC, go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview to access the web access code online service. If you cannot get your WAC online or would like to change it, call 1-800-959-5525.

Filing without a web access code (WAC)

To register as a business owner, go to My Business Account and do the following:

• Select “CRA Register” and create a CRA user ID and password. You may also select "Sign-In Partner Login/Register" and use the same sign-in information you may use for other online services, such as online banking.
• To register, you will need to provide all of the following information:
  • your social insurance number (SIN)
  • your date of birth
  • your postal code or ZIP code
  • an amount you entered on your income tax and benefit return (the line the CRA asks for will vary; it could be from the current or the previous tax year)
  • your business number (BN)
• You must enter a CRA security code to finalize the registration process. You may ask for the CRA security code by paper mail or email
• Return to My Business Account to enter your CRA security code

To register as a representative, including employees of a business, go to Represent a Client and do the following:

• Select “CRA Register” and create a CRA user ID and password. You may also select “Sign-In Partner Login/Register” and use the same sign-in information you use for other online services, such as online banking
• To register, you will need to provide:
  • your access code from your notice of assessment
  • your postal code or ZIP code
• Register as the business owner (using your BN) or as yourself and receive a representative identifier (RepID), or create a group of representatives and receive a group identifier (GroupID)
• Get authorization to have online access to the tax-free saving account (TFSA) account by doing one of the following:
  • using the “Authorization request” service with Represent a Client
  • giving your BN, RepID, or GroupID to businesses or your employer so they may authorize you using the “Authorize or manage representatives” service in My Business Account

Once you are registered as the business owner, or registered and authorized as a representative, an employee, or a group of employees, you will be able to file or amend T4A slips without a Web access code.

Filing on paper – 1 to 5 T4A slips

The CRA encourages you to file your T4A return electronically. However, if you have 5 slips or less, you may file on paper.

For a paper version of the CRA’s forms and publications, go to Forms and publications or call 1‑800‑959‑5525.

Fill out one copy of each T4A slip you need to fill out for each recipient and include it with your T4A Summary when you file. Enter the information for two different recipients on one sheet.

The T4A return is mailed to the address provided on the T4A Summary.

You must keep a copy of the T4A slips and Summary for your records. For more information about how to keep adequate books and records, go to Keeping records.

The CRA accepts alternate versions of the T4A slip. For information, go to Customized forms.

T4A summary sent without T4A slip

A completed return must be filed including slips. If a summary is sent without the slips, the following apply:

• The CRA will consider the return as not received
• The summary will not be processed

How to distribute your T4A slips

You must give recipients their T4A slips on or before the last day of February following the calendar year to which the slips apply. If you do not, you may be charged a penalty. The penalty for failing to distribute T4A slips to recipients is $25 per day for each such failure with a minimum penalty of $100 and a maximum of $2,500.

Give each recipient a T4A slip in one of the following ways:

• one copy sent electronically

The CRA intends to introduce the following criteria for electronic distribution:

You can distribute T4A slips using a secure electronic portal without obtaining written or electronic consent from the recipients before distributing the slips. With written consent from the recipient, you can distribute T4A slips using email.

For more information see Distribute the slips.

In all other cases, where the recipient does not have access to a secure portal from which they can print the slip in a secure manner or when the recipient requests it, you will need to provide two copies of the slip, in paper format, to the recipient in person or by mail.

• two copies, sent by mail to the recipient’s last known address

• two copies, delivered in person

The CRA suggests that you print the two T4A slips that you have to give to each recipient on one sheet. For security purposes, do not print your account number (box 061) on these copies

For more information on how to fill out the T4A slip and the T4A Summary, see Distribute the slips.

Chapter 6 – After you file

When the CRA receives your information return, the CRA checks it to see if you have prepared it correctly. After an initial review, the CRA enters your return into its processing system, which captures the information and performs various validity and balancing checks. If there are any problems, the CRA may contact you.

After filing your information return, you may notice that you made an error on a T4A slip. If so, you will have to prepare an amended slip to correct the information.

Choose the filing method to amend, add, replace or cancel T4A slips

Amend T4A slips

You may amend T4A slips online or on paper, regardless of how the T4A slips were originally filed.

Do not amend your T4A slip:

• if the only change is to the recipient’s address
• if you receive a pensionable and insurable earnings review (PIER) report. Respond to the PIER report advising of the changes required for the recipients on the listing. For more information, go to Pensionable and insurable earnings review (PIER).

Online

You may amend T4A slips:

• with a web access code using Web Forms or Internet file transfer
• without a web access code using My Business Account or Represent a Client

For more information, go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview.

Web Forms

To amend T4A slips using Web Forms:

• select the amended option
• enter information for only the T4A slips that need to be amended
• enter all data that has not changed for the T4A slip and make changes to fields that require corrections
• review the amended T4A summary that Web Forms creates
• submit the T4A return
• in the dialogue box “Explanation for amendments,” give the reason for submitting one, some or all of the slips, and include the recipient’s name for each reason. There is a character limit of 1250

Importing a submission that was previously filed using Web Forms

Web Forms allows you to save a T4A return after filing. Complete the following when importing the saved return to amend T4A slips:

• import the original file
• select the amending T4A slips option
• choose the T4A slips to amend
• remove the T4A slips that do not require amending
• correct the information or financial fields that require corrections
• review the amended T4A summary that Web Forms creates
• submit the T4A return
• in the dialogue box “Explanation for amendments,” give the reason for submitting one, some or all of the slips, and include the recipient’s name for each reason. There is a character limit of 1250

Internet File Transfer

Complete the following when amending T4A slips using Internet File Transfer:

• include only the T4A slips that need to be amended
• use the report type code A on the T4A summary and slips
• enter all data that has not changed for the T4A slip and make changes to fields that require corrections
• include only the totals from the amended T4A slips on the amended T4A summary
• in a “Filer amendment note,” give the reason for submitting one, some or all of the slips, and include the recipient’s name for each reason. There is a character limit of 1309

On paper

Complete the following steps to amend a T4A slip on paper:

• identify the amended T4A slips by writing AMENDED at the top of each T4A slip
• fill out all necessary boxes, including the information that was correct on the original T4A slip
• send two copies of the amended T4A slips to the recipient
• send one copy of the amended T4A slips to your National Verification and Collections Centre (NVCC) with a letter explaining the reason for the amendment
• do not file an amended T4A Summary

Amendments to a T4A return filed on paper cannot be filled out until the original T4A returns are processed.

Add T4A Slips

You may add T4A slips online or on paper, regardless of how the information return was originally filed.

Online

You may add T4A slips:

• with a web access code using Web Forms or Internet file transfer
• without a web access code using My Business Account or Represent a Client

For more information, go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview.

On paper

Fill out the following instructions to add a T4A slip on paper:

• identify the new T4A slips by writing ADDITIONAL at the top of each T4A slip
• send one copy of the additional T4A slips to their NVCC with a letter explaining the reason for the addition
• do not file an amended T4A Summary

Replace T4A slips

Recipients who have lost or destroyed their T4A slips may request replacements. In this case, you must do the following:

• identify the replacement T4A slips by writing DUPLICATE at the top of each T4A slip
• issue the replacement T4A slips to the recipient and keep a copy for record keeping purposes

Do not send a copy of the replacement T4A slip.

Cancel T4A slips

You may cancel T4A slips online or on paper, regardless of how the slips were originally filed.

Online

You may cancel T4A slips:

• with a web access code using Web Forms or Internet file transfer
• without a web access code using My Business Account or Represent a Client

For more information, go to Filing Information Returns Electronically (T4/T5 and other types of returns) – Overview

Web Forms

Fill out the following when cancelling T4A slips using Web Forms:

• select the amended option
• cancel T4A slips by entering the exact data that was previously reported and choose the cancel option
• review the amended T4A summary that Web Forms creates
• submit the T4A return

Importing a submission that was previously filed using Web Forms

Web Forms allows you to save a T4A return after filing. Complete the following when importing the saved T4A return to cancel T4A slips:

• import the original file
• select the cancelling T4A slips option
• choose the T4A slips to cancel
• remove the T4A slips that do not require cancelling
• keep the information that is on the T4A slip
• review the amended T4A summary that Web Forms creates
• submit the T4A return

Internet File Transfer

Complete the following when cancelling T4A slips using Internet File Transfer:

• include only the T4A slips that need to be cancelled
• use the report type code A on the T4A summary
• use the report type code C on the T4A slips
• enter all data that was on the original T4A slip
• include only the totals from the amended T4A slips on the amended T4A summary

On paper

Complete the following instructions to cancel a slip on paper:

• identify the cancelled T4A slips by writing CANCELLED at the top of each T4A slip
• complete all necessary boxes, including the information that was correct on the original T4A slip
• send two copies of the cancelled T4A slips to the recipient
• send one copy of the cancelled T4A slips to their NVCC with a letter explaining the reason for the cancellation
• do not file an amended T4A Summary

Cancel a T4A return

You may cancel the entire T4A return online or on paper, regardless of how it was originally filed or you may send a request by mail or fax to your NVCC, to the attention of Employer Services.

Pension adjustment (PA)

You have to recalculate a PA in a registered pension plan (RPP) when all of the following conditions are met:

• an employee returns from a leave of absence or from a period of reduced service
• the service was not previously a pensionable service
• by April 30 of the following year:
  • benefits are retroactively provided under a defined benefit provision for the period concerned and the employee makes the commitment to purchase the benefits

  • retroactive contributions are made by the employee or the employer to a money purchase provision

If, as the pension plan administrator for a multi-employer plan (MEP), you have to recalculate a PA for an employee under an RPP during a period of leave or reduced services, amend the PA for the employee for each year after 1989 that is affected by the leave. For periods of leave or reduced services not under a MEP, amend the PA on a T4A slip.

You do not have to report an amended PA when the difference between the previously reported PA and the amended PA is less than $250. However, you do have to report one if an employee asks you to accurately report the PA, or if the CRA asks you to report the amended PA.

For the years in which you did not report a PA for the employee, you have to file an amended T4A slip showing the correct PA. If you previously reported a PA for the employee in a particular year, you have to show the total PA that applies for that year on the amended T4A slip.

For information on recalculating a PA, see Pension Adjustment (PA).

For information on calculating and reporting a PSPA, go to T4 slips – Information for employers and type box 34 in the filter box.

Digital services

Handle your business taxes online

My Business Account lets you view and manage your business taxes online.

Use My Business Account throughout the year to:

• make a payment online to the CRA with My Payment, create a pre-authorized debit (PAD) agreement, or create a QR code to pay in person at Canada Post for a fee (for more information on how to make a payment, go to Payments to the CRA)
• request a payment search
• file or amend information returns without a web access code
• submit documents to the CRA
• manage authorized representatives and authorization requests
• register to receive email notifications and to view mail from the CRA in My Business Account
• manage addresses, direct deposit information, program account names, operating names, phone numbers, and business numbers in your profile
• view and pay account balances
• calculate and make instalment payments
• provide a nil remittance
• transfer a misallocated payment
• track the progress of certain files you have submitted to the CRA
• submit an audit enquiry
• download reports
• request relief of penalties and interest
• manage multi-factor authentication settings

To sign in to or register for the CRA's digital services, go to:

• My Business Account, if you are a business owner
• Represent a Client, if you are an authorized representative

For more information, go to Digital services for businesses.

Receive your CRA mail online

Register for email notifications to find out when CRA mail, like your PD7A Statement of account for current source deductions, and remittance voucher, is available in My Business Account.

For more information, go to Email notifications from the CRA – Businesses.

Create a pre-authorized debit agreement for payments from your Canadian chequing account

A pre-authorized debit (PAD) is a secure online self-service, payment option for individuals and businesses to pay their taxes. A PAD lets you authorize withdrawals from your Canadian chequing account to pay the CRA. You can set the payments dates and amounts of your PAD agreement using the CRA’s secure My Business Account. Pads are flexible and managed by you. You can use My Business Account to view your account history and modify, cancel, or skip a payment. For more information, go to Pay by pre-authorized debit.

For more information

If you need help

If you need more information after reading this guide, go to Taxes or call 1-800-959-5525.

Due dates

When a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday recognized by the CRA, your payment is considered on time if the CRA receives it on or it is processed at a Canadian financial instituion on or before the next business day.

For more information, go to Payroll.

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit is a fast, convenient, and secure way to receive your CRA payments directly in your account at a financial institution in Canada. For more information and ways to enrol, go to Direct deposit – Canada Revenue Agency or contact your financial institution.

Forms and publications

The CRA encourages you to file your return electronically. If you need a paper version of the CRA's forms and publications, go to Forms and publications or call 1-800-959-5525.

Electronic mailing lists

The CRA can send you email when new information on a subject of interest to you is available on the website. To subscribe to the electronic mailing lists, go to Canada Revenue Agency electronic mailing lists.

Teletypewriter (TTY) and Video Relay service (Canada VRS) users

If you use a TTY for a hearing or speech impairment, call 1-800-665-0354.

If you use the Canada VRS application, call 1-800-561-6393

if you use another operator-assisted relay service, call the CRA's regular telephone number instead of the TTY or Canada VRS numbers.

Formal disputes (objections and appeals)

If you disagree with an assessment, determination, or decision, you have the right to file a formal dispute. For more information about objections or formal disputes,and related deadlines, see Objections, appeals, disputes, and relief measures.

CRA Service Feedback Program

Service complaints

You can expect to be treated fairly under clear and established rules, and get a high level of service each time you deal with the CRA. For more information about the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, go to Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

You may provide compliments or suggestions, and if you are not satisfied with the service you received:

1. Try to resolve the matter with the employee you have been dealing with or call the telephone number provided in the correspondence you received from the CRA. If you do not have contact information for the CRA, go to Contact the Canada Revenue Agency

2. If you have not been able to resolve your service-related issue, you can ask to discuss the matter with the employee’s supervisor

3. If the problem is still not resolved, you can file a a service-related complaint by filling out Form RC193, Service Feedback. For more information and to learn how to file a complaint, go to Submit service feedback.

If you are not satisfied with how the CRA has handled your service-related complaint, you can submit a complaint to the Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson.

Reprisal complaints

If you have received a response regarding a previously submitted service complaint or a formal review of a CRA decision and feel you were not treated impartially by a CRA employee, you can submit a reprisal complaint by filling out Form RC459, Reprisal Complaint.

For more information about complaints and disputes, go to Reprisal Complaints.

Addresses

Tax Centre (TC)

Jonquière TC
T4 Program
P.O. Box 1300 LCD Jonquière
Jonquière QC G7S 0L5

National Verification and Collections Centres (NVCC)

Shawinigan NVCC
4695 Shawinigan-Sud Boulevard
Shawinigan-Sud QC G9P 5H9

Newfoundland and Labrador NVCC
P.O. Box 12071 Station A
St. Johns NL A1B 3Z1

Surrey NVCC
9755 King George Boulevard
Surrey BC V3T 5E1

Publications for payers

• T4001, Employers' Guide – Payroll Deductions and Remittances
• T4130, Employers' Guide – Taxable Benefits and Allowances
• RC4120, Employers' Guide – Filing the T4 Slip and Summary

Reporting foreign income and other foreign amounts

Report, in Canadian dollars, your foreign income and other foreign currency amounts (such as expenses and foreign taxes paid). In general, the foreign currency amount should be converted using the Bank of Canada exchange rate in effect on the day it arises. In certain situations, the CRA will accept an exchange quoted by another source other than the Bank of Canada if the rate is:

• widely available
• verifiable
• published by an independent provider on an ongoing basis
• recognized by the market
• used in accordance with well-accepted business principles
• used to prepare financial statements (if any)
• used regularly from year to year

Each of the conditions above must be met for the rate to be accepted. Other sources of foreign exchange rates that the CRA generally accepts include Bloomberg L.P., Thomson Reuters Corporation and OADA Corporation.

In certain circumstances, average rates over the relevant period of time may be used to convert foreign currency amounts. See Income Tax Folio S5-F4-C1, Income Tax Reporting Currency. Also, refer to this folio for information about converting foreign amounts generally.

For more information about converting foreign income taxes paid, see Income Tax Folio S5-F2-C1, Foreign Tax Credit.