Pension Income Splitting: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Learn how married or common-law couples in Canada can split pension income to reduce their overall tax burden.
Pension Income Splitting allows couples to share their pension income for tax purposes to help lower the total amount of tax owed by the household.
Who it's for
This is available to married couples or common-law couples where one partner has a higher pension income than the other.
What you get
You can choose to allocate up to 50% of your eligible pension income to your spouse or partner. By moving this income from a higher earner to a lower earner, the couple can often reduce their combined tax liability.
What it costs you
There is no direct fee to use this option. However, it does require the extra time and effort to complete and file a specific election form along with your annual tax return.
The catch to know
Not all retirement payments qualify for this benefit. This scheme only applies to certain types of eligible pension income; it does not apply to Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Old Age Security (OAS) payments.
How to apply
- Determine if your specific pension income is eligible for splitting.
- Calculate how much of the income you wish to allocate to your partner.
- Complete the required election form during your tax filing process.
- Submit the form and your tax return to the revenue agency.