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  • Tax Time -- Separation Challenges

    Hi All,

    Before the separation, I was contributing to a spousal RRSP account.

    My wife will not respond to my request for a copy of the tax slip (i dont believe she can claim the spousal contributions on her own taxes so it is of no use to her). The financial institution will not provide me with the RRSP slip since the account is in my wife's name.



    Has anyone faced this challenge? Any suggestions?

  • #2
    Lukas:

    The tax receipt will show your name and Social Insurance Number as the contributor to your wife's spousal RRSP, and it will show her name as the annuitant. Even if she refuses to give you a copy, you can deduct your contributions on your Income Tax Return because CRA will have a record of your contributions.

    Normally, if your wife redeems her spousal RRSP within the first two years, you must claim the proceeds as income since you received the deduction. However, in the case of separation or divorce, she must claim the proceeds as income.

    Linda

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the info!

      Could I eventually request a copy of the tax receipt from the government? I don't have any idea about the amount of money that was contributed to the account.

      Comment


      • #4
        Lukas:

        Since you are the contributor to your wife's spousal RRSP, the tax receipt should have been issued to you showing your SIN and your wife as the annuitant. Did you call the financial institution where your wife has the RRSP and ask for a duplicate tax receipt? If they refused to comply with your request, what reason did they give because you are entitled to deduct your contributions on your income tax return and you should have a copy of the tax receipt in case Canada Revenue Agency asks for it?

        Linda

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Again,

          Yes, I did contact the financial institution -- I have my own RRSPs with the same institution. They told me that the tax receipt is mailed to the owner of the account. They would not provide me with a copy of the receipt because they cannot release information about the account since the account is in her name.

          They are aware of the separation situation, and still would not provide me witha copy of the receipt.

          You are correct, the receipt will have my name on it, and my SIN number (it was like this in previous years), but it is mailed to her, and I have no access to it.

          Comment


          • #6
            Lukas:

            Are you dealing with a well-known financial institution because, to the best of my knowledge, the contributing spouse is the one who receives the tax receipt, not the annuitant. As I've stated previously, the tax receipt should show your wife as the owner and annuitant, and your name and SIN should show as the contributor. Once you have made your contribution, you cannot access the account or any information about the account; however, you are entitled to a tax receipt for your contributions. Are you sure the financial institution didn't make a mistake and set up the account with your wife as the contributor because, during the busy RRSP season, that has been known to happen. Do you have cancelled cheques to prove that you're the one who made the contributions?

            If the financial institution still refuses to budge, why don't you give Canada Revenue Agency a call and explain to them that you made a contribution to a spousal RRSP and the financial institution issued the tax receipt to your spouse and is refusing to correct it. They should be able to advise you.

            Linda

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for your response.

              Yes, it is a well known financial institution.

              I am VERY SURE the account is a 'spousal account' because i have been contributing to the account for a number of years. Previous tax slips have included my name on the receipt.

              They told me the receipt goes to the 'owner' of the account.

              I have emailed them again to explain the situation -- hopefully I have better luck this time.

              Comment


              • #8
                Lukas:

                I would beg to differ with the financial institution because the tax receipt is issued to the contributor, whether or not the contributor is the annuitant. If you made a contribution (or contributions) to a spousal RRSP during the 2006 taxation year while you and your wife were still living together, you are entitled to deduct that contribution (or contributions) on your 2006 income tax return.

                Don't give up because you are well within your rights to demand a tax receipt that reflects all of the contributions you made to your spouse's RRSP during the 2006 taxation year, especially if you didn't keep track of the amounts.

                Linda

                Comment


                • #9
                  My RRSP

                  My ex contributed to an RRSP for me and I claimed, I received the receipt and I got the tax break. The RRSP was only in my name..ex paid the contributions as I was a stay at home Mom.

                  Thats how it worked for me.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Denisem
                    My ex contributed to an RRSP for me and I claimed, I received the receipt and I got the tax break. The RRSP was only in my name..ex paid the contributions as I was a stay at home Mom.

                    Thats how it worked for me.

                    If it was a 'spousal RRSP', then your ex's name should have appeared on the receipt. In my case, it was my name/social insurance number that appeared on the receipt, but the receipt was mailed to my spouse since the money was in her name.

                    Hopefully your spouse didn't claim the money as well -- that might create some problems.

                    My spouse offered to mail me the receipts (after a month of my asking) -- I guess she tried to claim the money and wasn't allowed

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      lukas

                      my CL spouse contributes to an RRSP in my name and he received the tax receipt and made the claim.
                      I'd insist on a copy of the receipt and threaten legal action against them. Perhaps that would wake them us, you made the contributions and you alone are entitled to the deduction and should receive the "official" receipt. The Ex should receive a print out of the accounts activity, as that is what I receive in my name. He gets the receipt I get an account statement.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I fought with them and ended up receiving the receipt. It is ridiculous that it was such a fight.

                        Comment

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