Tax Slips Explained: T4, T5, T2202 and More
Tax slips are the forms that tell you and the CRA what you earned and what was deducted. Knowing which ones you should expect makes filing a first return much less stressful.
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In this guide
What a tax slip is
Slips are prepared by your employer, payer, issuer or administrator [1]. They report income you received or amounts you paid during the year. Most slips, such as the T4, T4A and T5, are sent to you by the end of February. You may not receive a T3 or T5013 slip until the end of March, and RRSP and PRPP contribution receipts may arrive in May [1][3].
The slips you are most likely to see
| Slip | What it reports | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| T4 | Employment income, usually in box 14 [3][4] | Report on line 10100 the total of the amounts in box 14 of all your T4 slips [4] |
| T4A | Pension, retirement, annuity and other income, including scholarships, fellowships and bursaries (box 105), self-employed commissions (box 020) and registered education savings plan payments [6] | Report each amount on the line shown for its box number [6] |
| T4E | Employment Insurance and other benefits. Box 14 shows total benefits paid [5] | Enter on line 11900 the amount in box 14 minus any amount in box 18 [5] |
| T5 | Investment income, such as interest and dividends earned in non-registered accounts [3] | Report interest on line 12100 [9] |
| T2202 | Tuition and enrolment certificate. Eligible tuition fees appear in box 23 [7] | Use it to claim education tax credits on your return [8] |
The CRA also lists other slips, including the T4RIF, T4RSP, T5007, T5008, T5013, T5018, T3, RC62 and RRSP contribution receipts [1]. If you receive one you don't recognize, read the CRA's page on that slip or ask the issuer.
Slips newcomers often meet
- A T4 from each employer. If you changed jobs during the year, you will have more than one. Report the box 14 total of all of them [4].
- A T2202 if you studied. Designated educational institutions must give students their T2202 on or before the last day of February [8].
- A T4E if you received EI. Reported on line 11900 [5].
- A T5, or no T5 at all. You may not receive a T5 slip if your total investment income is less than $50, but you must still report the income. Interest paid or credited to you has to be reported even if you didn't receive a slip [9].
Where to find your slips
- Check your mail and the portals your employer, school and bank provide.
- If you use a CRA account, you may be able to view your tax slips online [2]. See Setting Up Your CRA Account for when a newcomer can register.
- If you have a CRA account and use certified tax software, you can use Auto-fill My Return to import the tax information the CRA has on file. Make sure you have received all your slips and that they appear in your account first, because missing slips won't auto-populate [3].
If a slip is missing or looks wrong
Step 2: Check your CRA account
If you use one, you may be able to view the slip online. The CRA cannot provide a copy of a slip until after the issuer sends it to the CRA [2].
Step 3: If you still can't get it in time, estimate
You can calculate your income from pay stubs or financial statements. Include with your return the name and address of the issuer of the slip, the type of income, and what you are doing to get the slip [2].
Sources
Numbered references such as [1] in the guide match this list. We last reviewed this guide against these sources on . Official pages change, so open the source before you act. See our editorial standards for how we choose and check sources.
Canada Revenue Agency
T4E slip: Statement of Employment Insurance and Other Benefits (opens in a new tab)canada.ca
Canada Revenue Agency
T4A slip: Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income (opens in a new tab)canada.ca
Canada Revenue Agency
T2202: information for designated educational institutions (opens in a new tab)canada.ca
Navak provides general information only. It is not legal, immigration, financial or tax advice.
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