If you received Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Québec Pension Plan (QPP) benefits last year, you should receive a T4A(P) Statement of CPP Benefits tax slip. This important document provides details on the types of benefits collected and income tax deducted that must be reported on your tax return.
What is a T4A(P) Slip?
A T4A(P) slip, officially known as a “Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits”, is a tax information slip issued annually by Service Canada if you received any benefits from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Québec Pension Plan (QPP) during the tax year.
The T4A(P) shows the total amount and types of CPP or QPP benefits you received, as well as the income tax deducted. The slip provides a breakdown of the different benefit types to help taxpayers accurately report the amounts when filing their returns.
Who Gets a T4A(P) Slip?
If you received any of the following CPP or QPP benefits during the tax year, you can expect to receive a T4A(P) slip:
- Retirement Benefit
- Survivor Benefit
- Disability Benefit
- Child Benefit
- Death Benefit
- Post-Retirement Benefit
The T4A(P) is issued to provide taxpayers who collected these benefits with the tax information required for filing.
When to Expect Your T4A(P) Slip
T4A(P) slips are mailed out by Service Canada by the end of February following the tax year the benefits were received.
However, you can view your T4A(P) slip online sooner through the CRA’s My Account. Accessing it early allows you to prepare your tax return as soon as you have all your tax slips.
Where to Report T4A(P) Amounts
When filling out your T1 General Income Tax Return form, there are specific lines where you need to enter amounts from your T4A(P) slip. Here is what to report:
- Total CPP/QPP benefits – Enter this amount from Box 20 on Line 11400 of your return.
- Income tax deducted – Enter the amount from Box 22 on Line 43700.
In addition, the CRA’s guide indicates that you may be eligible to claim the pension income amount. This is reported on Line 31400. Your T4A(P) slip provides the information needed to determine eligibility and calculate the amount.
How to Report Multiple T4A(P) Slips
Sometimes, you may receive more than one T4A(P) slip for the year, especially if you have moved provinces or transferred between CPP and QPP.
In this case, you cannot simply combine the slips. You must enter the details from each slip separately when filing your return electronically.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Enter your first T4A(P) slip information as usual
- Click “Add another T4A(P)” after the first one
- Enter the details from your second T4A(P) slip
- Repeat for any additional T4A(P) slips
This ensures all amounts are properly reported under the correct benefit types. The tax software will automatically calculate the totals.
Key Information on the T4A(P) slip
The T4A(P) slip provides important details that help taxpayers accurately report their CPP or QPP benefits when filing their tax return. Here is key information shown on the T4A(P):
| Box | Description | Amount to Report |
|---|---|---|
| Box 20 | Total taxable CPP or QPP benefits | Line 11400 |
| Box 14 | Retirement pension amount | Included in Box 20 total |
| Box 15 | Survivor’s pension amount | Included in Box 20 total |
| Box 16 | Disability pension amount | Line 11410 |
| Box 17 | Children’s benefits amount | Included in Box 20 total |
| Box 18 | Death benefit amount | Included in Box 20 total |
| Box 19 | Post-retirement benefit amount | Included in Box 20 total |
| Box 22 | Income tax deducted from benefits | Line 43700 |
Why Are Different Benefits Shown Separately?
The different types of CPP and QPP benefits you received are shown in separate boxes (14 to 19) on the T4A(P) slip. This provides more details for reporting purposes since not all the benefit amounts are included in the total taxable benefits reported on Line 11400.
For example, Box 16 shows the disability benefit amount separately because it is excluded from Line 11400 and claimed instead on Line 11410.
Breaking out the benefit types like this helps taxpayers accurately report their CPP/QPP benefits.
Why Is It Important to Keep Your T4A(P)?
Recipients should keep their T4A(P) slip along with other tax documents for their records. This is essential for a few reasons:
- It provides support if you get audited by the CRA
- You can refer back to specific amounts when filing the following year
- It allows you to verify that T4A(P) details match what gets reported to the CRA
Having your T4A(P) slip on hand ensures you are reporting your benefits properly based on the right amounts and information.
How to Adjust Your T4A(P) After Filing Your Taxes
Sometimes, you may notice an error on your T4A(P) slip after you have already filed your taxes. If this happens, you need to contact Service Canada and request a cancelled slip with the correct information.
This cancelled T4A(P) gets submitted along with a completed Form T1-ADJ to amend your tax return and correct the mistake. This process updates your taxes with the right amounts as per your revised T4A(P).
Common Reporting Errors to Avoid
A few common T4A(P) reporting errors to watch out for include:
- Forgetting to report a T4A(P) slip
- Misreporting the amounts from each box
- Claiming ineligible benefits as taxable income
- Not declaring total benefits as pension income
Referring to the actual T4A(P) details and guides like this one can help you avoid mistakes and get your CPP or QPP benefits right on your taxes.
Key Takeaways on T4A(P) Slips:
- The T4A(P) slip provides a breakdown of CPP or QPP benefits received and income tax deducted for reporting purposes
- Taxpayers who collected one of the six benefit types get a T4A(P) slip from Service Canada
- Total benefits are entered on Line 11400, and tax is deducted on Line 43700 of your tax return
- Keep your T4A(P) documents for your records and to verify against CRA copies
- Contact the CRA or a tax expert if you have any questions about reporting your T4A(P) slip
Carefully reviewing your T4A(P) slip details allows you to accurately enter the amounts when filing your taxes. This guide outlines everything you need to confidently understand your T4A(P) tax slip for CPP or QPP benefits.
Tax time can be confusing with all the different slips you might get. To help you out, we’ve made a quick list of the most common ones. You can check them out below:
FAQs related to T4A(P) slips
Why do I receive a T4A(P) slip?
You receive a T4A(P) slip if you collected CPP or QPP benefits like retirement, disability, survivor's pension, etc. in the previous tax year.
When will I get my T4A(P) slip?
T4A(P) slips are mailed out by Service Canada before the end of February each year. You can also view it online sooner through CRA My Account.
How do I report my T4A(P) on my tax return?
You enter the total benefits amount from Box 20 on Line 11400 and the tax deducted amount from Box 22 on Line 43700.
Where do I find my T4A(P) slip amounts?
The amounts to enter on your tax return are shown in Boxes 20 and 22 on your T4A(P) slip.
What if I have multiple T4A(P) slips?
If you have several T4A(P) slips, you must enter the details from each one separately when filing electronically.
Should I keep my T4A(P) slip?
Yes, keep your T4A(P) for your records to support your tax return and verify the CRA has the right information.