T5 Slip Guide 2025: Investment Income

A T5 — Statement of Investment Income — is issued by financial institutions when you earn investment income in a non-registered account. If you have a savings account, GIC, or investment account outside of a TFSA or RRSP, you may receive a T5 for interest, dividends, or other investment income earned in 2024.

No T5 for TFSA or RRSP income: Income earned inside a TFSA or RRSP is tax-sheltered and is never reported on a T5. T5 slips only apply to non-registered (taxable) investment accounts.

T5 Box-by-Box Breakdown

BoxDescriptionWhere on T1 Return
Box 10Actual amount of eligible dividends — dividends from Canadian public corporationsLine 12000
Box 11Taxable amount of eligible dividends — Box 10 grossed up by 138% (multiply by 1.38)Line 12000
Box 12Dividend tax credit for eligible dividends — offsets the gross-up (15.0198% of Box 11)Line 40425
Box 13Interest from Canadian sources — bank account interest, GIC interest, bond interestLine 12100
Box 14Other income from Canadian sources — royalties, annuity income, etc.Line 12100
Box 15Foreign income — investment income from foreign sources (before foreign tax)Line 12100
Box 16Foreign tax paid — tax withheld by foreign governments on Box 15 incomeLine 43100 (foreign tax credit)
Box 17Royalties from Canadian sourcesLine 12100
Box 18Capital gains dividends — taxable capital gains from mutual funds or REITsLine 17400 (Schedule 3)
Box 24Actual amount of ineligible dividends — dividends from private corporations or small businessesLine 12000
Box 25Taxable amount of ineligible dividends — Box 24 grossed up by 115%Line 12000
Box 26Dividend tax credit for ineligible dividends (9.0301% of Box 25)Line 40425

How the Dividend Gross-Up Works

Canadian dividend income is taxed differently from other income because corporations pay corporate tax before distributing dividends. The gross-up and dividend tax credit system is designed to prevent double taxation:

  1. You receive an actual dividend (Box 10 or Box 24)
  2. The CRA grosses it up to a taxable amount (Box 11 or Box 25) — this represents the pre-corporate-tax income
  3. You pay tax on the grossed-up amount at your marginal rate
  4. You then receive a dividend tax credit (Box 12 or Box 26) that partially offsets the extra tax from the gross-up

The net result is that eligible dividends are taxed at a lower effective rate than interest income, making Canadian dividend-paying stocks tax-efficient in non-registered accounts.

Interest Income (Box 13)

Interest income is the least tax-efficient form of investment income — it is taxed at your full marginal rate, the same as employment income. A $1,000 interest payment from a GIC is treated identically to $1,000 of employment income for tax purposes. This is why high-interest savings inside a TFSA is generally more tax-efficient for most Canadians.

When Is a T5 Issued?

Financial institutions are required to issue a T5 only if the total investment income paid to you in the year exceeds $50. If your interest income was $30 on a small savings account, the institution is not required to issue a T5 — but you are still required to report that income on your return.

Multiple T5 Slips

You may receive multiple T5 slips — one from each financial institution where you hold non-registered accounts. Enter each one separately in your tax software. The software totals them on the correct lines of your return.

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