Annuity payments

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Annuity payments

Content has been updated for clarity, completeness and plain language. No changes were made to the CRA's treatment of annuity payments.

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Steps

  1. Determine if you need to report the payment on a slip

    If you make annuity payments to a person, you have to report the payments and income tax deductions on a T4A slip. Depending on the type of annuity payment or the situation, you may need to fill out a T4RSP, T4RIF, T4-RCA or NR4 slip instead.

    What is an annuity

    An annuity is a financial product that provides an individual with a guaranteed regular income. Generally, it is used during retirement and sold by an annuity provider, such as a life insurance company.

    This includes all amounts payable on a periodic basis, whether payable under a contract, will, trust or otherwise.

  2. Withhold payroll deductions and remit GST/HST

    You must withhold the following deductions:

    • Income tax
    • CPP (do not withhold)
    • EI (do not withhold)

    Learn more: Calculate income tax deductions

  3. Report the payment on a slip

    You must report the payments on the following slip depending on the type of annuity payment:

    • T4A slip

      • Disability benefits paid as a life annuity out of superannuation or a registered pension plan (RPP).

        • Box 016 - Pension or superannuation
      • Taxable part of lump-sum death benefits paid out of an advanced life deferred annuity (ALDA).

        • Box 018 - Lump-sum payments
      • Annuity payments from a life annuity bought from the proceeds of a life income fund (LIF) or an ALDA.

        • Box 024 - Annuities
      • Annuity payments from a life annuity bought from the proceeds of an income averaging annuity contracts (IAAC).

        • Box 024 - Annuities
        • Code 111 - IAAC
      • Annuity payments from a life annuity bought from the proceeds of a deferred profit sharing plan (DPSP).

        • Box 024 - Annuities
        • Code 115 - DPSP annuity or instalment payments
      • Variable payment life annuity (VPLA) payments made out of a pooled registered pension plan (PRPP) or money purchase RPP.

        • Code 133 - Variable pension benefits
      • Annuity payments from a PRPP.

        • Code 194 - PRPP payments

      Learn more: T4A slip - Information for payers

    • T4RSP slip

      • Annuity payments from an annuity that an individual purchased with a refund of premiums from a deceased annuitant’s registered retirement savings plan (RRSP).

        • Box 16 - Annuity payments

      Learn more: T4RSP Statement of RRSP income

    • T4RIF slip

      • Annuity payments made in the year on or after maturity of the plan.

        Do not report on the T4RIF slip if the annuity payments is from a life annuity bought from the proceeds of a LIF. In this situation, you must report on the T4A slip using box 024.

        • Box 16 - Taxable amounts

      Learn more: T4RIF Statement of Income from a Registered Retirement Income Fund

    • T4-RCA slip

      • Payments made in the year from a retirement compensation arrangement (RCA) in respect of a life annuity attributable to periods of employment for which benefits are also provided to the individual under a RPP.

        • Box 16 - Distributions
        • Box 17 - Distributions eligible for pension income splitting

      Learn more: T4A-RCA slip - Retirement Compensation Arrangement (RCA) trust

    • NR4 slip

      • Annuity payments made to a non-resident.

        • Box 16 - Gross income

      Learn more: NR4 slip

References

Related

Legislation

ITA: 56(1)(a)(i)
Amounts to be included in income for year
ITA: 60(a)
Capital element of annuity payments
ITA: 146.5
Definition of advanced life deferred annuity
ITA: 205
Definitions
ITA: 206
Return and payment of tax
ITR: 200(1)
Information return is required to be filed with respect to payments described in paragraph 153(1)
ITR: 216
Advanced life deferred annuity
ITR: 300
Capital element of annuity payments
ITR: 8502 (e)(i)
Conditions of a variable payment life annuity
ITR: 8506 (1)(e.2)
Variable Payment Life Annuity
ITR: 8506(2)(g)
Retirement Benefits
ITR: 8506(13)
VPLA fund

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Date modified:
2025-03-17