# Tax slips decoder: what each Canadian slip means

> Search the common Canadian tax slips, from T4 to T5008, and see what each one reports, who sends it and what to do when it is missing.

Slips arrive from different places at different times, and the names are not exactly friendly. Type a slip name or a word like "pension" to narrow the list.

## Which slip is which?

| Slip | What it reports | Who sends it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| T4 | Employment income, tax withheld, CPP and EI | Your employer |
| T4A | Pension, retirement, self-employed commissions, scholarships and other income | The payer |
| T4A(OAS) | Old Age Security pension | Service Canada |
| T4A(P) | Canada Pension Plan or QPP benefits | Service Canada |
| T4E | Employment Insurance benefits, including maternity and parental | Service Canada |
| T4RSP | Money paid out of an RRSP | The RRSP issuer |
| T4RIF | Money paid out of a RRIF | The RRIF issuer |
| T5 | Interest, dividends and other investment income | Banks and investment firms |
| T3 | Income from a trust, which includes most mutual funds and ETFs held outside a registered plan | The trust or fund |
| T5008 | Securities you sold or transferred, such as stocks and funds | Your broker or bank |
| T5007 | Social assistance and workers compensation | The province or board |
| T5013 | Your share of a partnership income | The partnership |
| T4PS | Employee profit sharing plan allocations | The plan |
| T2202 | Tuition for a college or university program | The school |
| T5018 | Payments to contractors in construction | The payer |
| RRSP contribution receipt | Contributions you can deduct | The RRSP issuer |
| RL-1 | Quebec employment income, the Quebec counterpart to the T4 | Your employer in Quebec |
| RL-3 | Quebec investment income, the counterpart to the T5 | Quebec banks and issuers |

How a tax slip gets onto your returnFour steps: the payer sends the slip, you check it in your CRA account, you enter it in your tax software, and you file by the deadline.1Payer sendsthe slip2Check yourCRA account3Enter it inyour software4File bythe deadline

## When do slips arrive?

Most are due by the end of February, which in 2027 means Monday, March 1. Some, like the T3 and T5013, can come as late as the end of March. Slips can arrive on paper, by email link or in your CRA account, and the numbers do not change depending on how they reach you.

## What if a slip is missing?

- **Check your CRA account.** The tax information slips area often shows a slip before the paper copy arrives.
- **Ask the payer.** Employers, banks and brokers can reissue it.
- **Do not skip the income.** You are still responsible for reporting it, and the CRA gets its own copy.

Our [documents checklist](https://tax-services.ca/checklists/documents-for-your-tax-return) helps you find what is missing before you file, and the [glossary](https://tax-services.ca/glossary) explains terms like ACB and gross-up.

## Where does this information come from?

It comes from the public pages of the [Canada Revenue Agency](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency.html) and other open sources, checked in October 2026. This is an independent information site: we provide no services, we do not represent the CRA or any organization, and we do not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current. We accept no liability for decisions based on it. Check the official source before you rely on it. See the [full disclaimer](https://tax-services.ca/disclaimer).

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Source: https://tax-services.ca/tax-slips-decoder
Last updated: 2026-10-07
Independent information site. Not affiliated with the CRA. No services, no guarantee of accuracy. See https://tax-services.ca/disclaimer