Is Disability Income Taxable in Canada?

Now you can listen to our blog, “Is Disability Income Taxable in Canada?” while on the go.

The CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) modified the tax withholding regulations for disability benefits in 2015. Both STD (short-term disability) and LTD (long-term disability) plans were affected by the modifications in the mechanism of computing taxable disability compensation.

STD and LTD benefits were previously taxed on filing annual income tax returns. But now, STD and LTD payments are taxed at the time they are issued.

As per the question of Is Disability Income Taxable, know that when the employer is the one paying contributions, STD and LTD Wage Loss Replacement Plans (WLRPs) are normally subject to tax. Also, both of these must be stated on line 104 of your T1 to avoid anything untoward later.

Is disability income taxable in Canada?

Disability income is tax-free if you pay the entire amount of the disability premium yourself. However, disability benefits will be subject to income taxes if your employer pays all or part of the disability premium.

Premiums Paid by Employees

The employee is not taxed if they pay the full price for STD or LTD coverage. When you pay your own LTD insurance payments, you are doing so with “after-tax” money. This implies you won’t be able to deduct the cost of your disability insurance premiums from your income tax.

The benefits you receive from a disability insurance plan for which you paid all of the premiums are normally not taxable.

Premiums Paid by the Employer

The salary you receive from your employer is generally taxed in Canada. It makes no difference what the remuneration was intended for. Salaries, wages, employer-provided parking, and one-time incentives are all included.

Your employer does not have to pay tax on premiums paid to cover you under a group LTD or STD insurance policy. In the event of incapacity, you will be required to pay tax on any benefits received under such insurance.

The premiums your employer pays for you must be added to your income through payroll deductions. It can also be added a lump amount on your T4 at the end of the year.

It’s worth noting that if your company and you split the cost of group disability insurance, you’re entitled to non-taxable benefits equivalent to your individual payment.

If you qualify for a non-taxable plan, you must legally be required to pay the entire premium. Which must be done in practice. Your company must show that premiums are accounted for through payroll deductions to establish that premiums are paid in actuality.

STD and LTD policies that fall under income-replacement benefits, which are payments granted to those who are unable to work because of car accidents, are typically not taxed. SABs (Statutory Accident Benefits), which are a requirement in Ontario with all motor insurance, provide income replacement benefits.

Are LTD Benefits Taxable?

Long-term disability benefits are governed by tax legislation, which is complicated. This is because who pays the premiums determines who pays the tax on long-term disability compensation. Long-term disability insurance is frequently provided to employees as part of a group life plan.

To qualify for non-taxable disability benefits, you and all other employees on the plan must pay the entire premium. Your benefits will be taxable if your company pays a portion of your premiums. Unless the premiums are included in your taxable income by your employer.

If your company has not purchased disability insurance on your behalf or if you are self-employed, you need to get your own LTD insurance.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be concerned about your tax due. If you get payments from a private disability pension, your insurance company will inform you of your tax obligations. Your owed taxes will be deducted from your monthly benefits.

Employees, unions, and employers should examine the cost benefits to both parties who pay the premiums for LTD insurance that is supplied as part of a group benefit, given the tax consequences.

If your benefits are tax-free, it may be possible to match your disability benefit to your pre-disability take-home pay. This could have a significant impact on your standard of living.

Disability Benefits from the Canada Pension Plan are taxable.

In addition to their private disability payments, disabled Canadians can qualify for benefits under the Canadian Pension Plan. The CPP compensates injured people for lost wages by paying them benefits. Benefits are paid out on a monthly basis. Children who are dependent on CPP beneficiaries may be eligible for a CPP child benefit.

To be eligible for these benefits, you must have:

• A long-term disability that is significant. You must be unable to work in any capacity due to your handicap.
• Contributed enough to the CPP before becoming disabled
• Be under the age of 65.

If your CPP disability application is denied, you have the option to appeal the decision. Before filing an appeal, make sure you understand why your application was denied.

While some applicants are turned down because they haven’t put in enough effort, the most common explanation is that their handicap isn’t judged severe enough. If you want to file an appeal, you must do so within 90 days of being denied.

Although CPP disability benefits will be taxed, if this is your only source of income, you may be able to save money on both federal and provincial taxes thanks to your basic personal tax credit. On the T4A(P) slip in box 20, you will be informed of the number of taxable benefits you received during the tax year. You can also have the tax deducted throughout the year so that you don’t have to worry about it at the end of the fiscal year.

I hope it answers the question of Is Disability Income Taxable.

The Bottom Line

At Lionsgate, we specialize in helping people obtain funding private mortgages for land purchases as well as for other real estate transactions. If you are looking to buy land in Canada, get a mortgage or apply for a loan, leave us a message and we will try to connect you with local realtors and sourcing for financing.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with someone you care about. Also, visit our blog to read similar articles on mortgages.