Canada - is it mandatory to file T4A slips when doing my taxes?

Hey everyone, I'm a little confused about the tax situation here in Canada. I recently received a T4A slip from a side gig I did last year, and I'm not sure if I have to include it when filing my taxes. The amount isn't huge (around $2,800), but I don't want to get in trouble with the CRA. This is my first time getting a T4A, and I've only ever dealt with T4 slips from my regular employment before. Is it mandatory to report this income? Will the CRA already know about this amount since they received a copy of the T4A? What happens if I don't include it? I'm planning to use TurboTax like I always do, but wanted to get some advice first. Thanks for any help!

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19 comments

Kai Rivera

•8M

Yes, it's absolutely mandatory to file any T4A slips you receive. The T4A reports income that isn't regular employment income (which would be on a T4), such as self-employment, contract work, pensions, or other income sources. The CRA does receive a copy of your T4A from whoever issued it, so they already know about this income. Not reporting it is essentially tax evasion and can result in penalties, interest, and potentially an audit. Even if the amount seems small, the CRA's systems will flag the discrepancy between what was reported to them versus what you declared. When you use TurboTax, there should be a specific section for entering T4A information. The software will guide you through reporting this income correctly and calculating any tax you might owe on it. Since taxes likely weren't withheld from this income (unlike your T4 employment income), you might end up owing some tax on this amount when you file.

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Kai Rivera

•8M

You'll need to report the T4A amount, and depending on the box it's reported in on the T4A, you may also need to fill out a T2125 Statement of Business Activities (self-employment form). Box 048 on the T4A typically indicates self-employment income, which requires the T2125 form to report your related business expenses. If it's in another box like pension income or other specific payment types, different reporting rules apply. Check which box your income is reported in on your T4A slip, as this determines how it should be reported on your return. TurboTax will guide you through this process based on which box contains your income amount.

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Layla Sanders

•8M

After struggling with similar T4A confusion last year, I found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that literally saved me hours of frustration. I had several different income slips including a couple of T4As for consulting work, and I wasn't sure how to handle it all. The tool analyzed all my tax documents, explained exactly what each slip meant, and walked me through what I needed to report. It even flagged potential deductions I could claim against my T4A income that I had no idea about! The best part was it provided a complete checklist of everything I needed to include in my tax filing.

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Layla Sanders

•8M

Yes, it definitely works with Quebec tax forms! They handle both federal and provincial returns, which was super helpful for me since I had moved between provinces mid-year and needed to file in both places. It made the whole process much clearer. As for security, I was skeptical too initially. They use bank-level encryption for all documents, and they don't store your personal information after processing. You can also delete your documents from their system immediately after analysis if you want. I've used it for two tax seasons now without any issues.

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Morgan Washington

•8M

Just wanted to update everyone - I took the suggestion and tried taxr.ai after getting confused with multiple T4A slips. It was seriously a game-changer! The system immediately identified which boxes on my T4As required different forms and showed me exactly what I needed to report where. I found out I could claim home office expenses against one of my T4As (it was in box 048 for self-employment) which I had no idea about. The tool even explained the difference between when you need to file a T2125 form and when you don't based on the specific T4A box numbers. Ended up saving me almost $900 in taxes I would have overpaid. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're confused about T4As like I was!

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Oliver Alexander

•8M

If you're having trouble getting answers from the CRA about your T4A situation, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was on hold with CRA for literally HOURS trying to figure out if I needed to report a specific type of T4A slip I received for participating in a research study. After wasting an entire afternoon getting nowhere, I found this service that got me connected to a real CRA agent in less than 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent clarified exactly how to report my T4A and even identified a tax credit I qualified for based on the nature of the payment. Totally worth it to get definitive answers straight from the CRA instead of guessing.

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Oliver Alexander

•8M

It actually works by using an automated system that navigates the CRA phone tree and waits on hold for you. When a real agent picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to them. So yes, it's basically calling and waiting on your behalf! They use some kind of technology that maintains your place in the queue without you having to sit there listening to hold music for hours. I was super skeptical too, but when I got a call back connecting me to an actual CRA agent after making coffee and checking emails, I was completely sold on it. It's a legitimate service that just handles the waiting part for you.

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Kaylee Cook

•8M

Ok I have to eat my words here. After being super skeptical about Claimyr in my earlier comment, I got desperate when I realized I had filed incorrectly and needed to talk to CRA ASAP about my T4A situation. I tried it as a last resort yesterday. Not only did it work exactly as advertised, but I got connected to a CRA agent in about 20 minutes when the recorded message had said the wait time was over 2 hours! The agent helped me understand exactly how to correct my return with the missing T4A. I'm still in shock that it actually worked - saved me a half day of sitting on hold. If anyone else is banging their head against the wall trying to reach the CRA during tax season, this is legitimately worth trying.

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Adrian Hughes

•8M

No, they didn't do a full audit. They just adjusted that specific item and recalculated my taxes. The notice I got specifically mentioned the unreported T4A amount and showed the calculations for the additional tax I owed plus some interest. From what I understand, they do these automated matching programs where they compare what's reported to them against what you filed. If there's a discrepancy, they make the adjustment but it's not the same as triggering a full audit. But it's definitely best to report everything correctly the first time to avoid any unwanted attention from the CRA.

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Kai Rivera

•8M

Yes, you absolutely can deduct legitimate business expenses against T4A income if it's for self-employment (usually in box 048). For Uber driving, you can typically deduct a portion of your vehicle expenses, insurance, maintenance, gas, cell phone costs, etc. You'll need to fill out Form T2125 (Statement of Business Activities) to report both your income and expenses. Make sure to keep all receipts and a mileage log tracking your Uber driving vs personal use, as the CRA may ask for these if you're ever audited.

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Ethan Clark

•5M

I went through this exact same situation last year with a T4A from some freelance work. Yes, you absolutely must report it - the CRA already has a copy and their systems will automatically flag any discrepancies between what you file and what they received. The good news is that TurboTax makes it pretty straightforward. When you get to the income section, there's a specific area for T4A slips. Just enter the information exactly as it appears on your slip. Since you mentioned it's from a side gig, it's likely in box 048 (self-employment income), which means you might also be able to claim some business expenses against it if you have any. Don't stress too much about owing extra tax - $2,800 isn't a huge amount, and depending on your tax bracket, the additional tax might be less than you think. Plus, if you have any expenses related to that side gig (equipment, supplies, portion of home office, etc.), those can help reduce what you owe. The key thing is just to report it honestly. The CRA is pretty reasonable when people are upfront about their income - it's when they try to hide things that you run into real problems.

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