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
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.
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
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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