Changing your marital status may impact your taxes and benefits

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Changing your marital status may impact your taxes and benefits

Did you recently get married or enter into a common-law partnership? Did you separate or divorce? Were you recently widowed? It is important to inform the CRA about changes in your marital status to make sure you receive the right amount in benefit and credit payments. When your marital status changes, your benefit and credit payments are directly impacted. The CRA will recalculate your benefits and credits based on:

  • your updated family net income
  • the number of children you have in your care and their ages
  • the province or territory in which you live

Your benefit payments will be adjusted the month after the month your marital status changes.

How do you tell the CRA that your marital status has changed?

You can tell the CRA about your new marital status and the date of the change by using one of the four options:

When do you have to tell the CRA?

If you recently got married, divorced, became widowed, or entered into a common-law partnership, you must tell the CRA about the change in marital status by the end of the month after the month your status changed. For example, if your status changes in March, you must tell the CRA by the end of April.

If you have become separated, do not notify us until you have been separated for at least 90 days

What if you changed your name?

If you changed your name, let the CRA know as soon as possible. Call us at 1-800-959-8281, so we can update our records.

Completing a tax return

When completing your tax return, tick the box that applied to your marital status on December 31, 2016, and if applicable, provide the requested information about your spouse or common-law partner. You still
have a spouse or common-law partner if you were living apart for reasons other than a breakdown in your relationship.

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Date modified:
2017-01-12