Withdrawing from spousal or common-law partner RRSPs

This section will also apply to a spousal or common-law partner account under a specified pension plan (SPP).

A spousal or common-law partner RRSP is any of your RRSPs:

• to which your spouse or common-law partner contributed
• that received amounts or transfers of property from your RRSPs to which your spouse or common-law partner had contributed
• that received amounts or transfers of property from your RRIFs to which you had transferred amounts from your spousal or common-law partner RRSPs

Generally, only the individual who is entitled to receive amounts from the RRSP (the annuitant) can withdraw funds from an RRSP.

Calculating the income you and your spouse or common-law partner have to report

If you contributed to your spouse’s or common law partner’s RRSPs or your spouse’s account under an SPP in 2022, 2023, or 2024, you may have to include in your 2024 income all or part of:

• amounts your spouse or common‑law partner received in 2024 from any of their unmatured spousal or common‑law partner RRSPs
• commutation payments your spouse or common‑law partner received in 2024 from any of their matured spousal or common‑law partner RRSPs, or spousal or common-law partner SPP
• amounts the CRA considers your spouse or common‑law partner to have received in 2024 in respect of any of their deregistered spousal or common‑law partner RRSPs or SPP
• amounts your spouse or common‑law partner received, or those the CRA considers they received, in 2024 from any of their spousal or common‑law partner RRIFs that are more than the minimum amount for the year
• amounts your spouse or common-law partner transferred from their spousal or common-law partner RRSPs to their FHSAs that are deemed to be a taxable withdrawal from their spousal or common-law partner RRSPs

To determine the amount to include in your income or your spouse’s or common‑law partner’s income, your spouse or common‑law partner (the annuitant) should fill out Form T2205, Amounts from a Spousal or Common‑law Partner RRSP, RRIF or SPP to Include in Income and follow the instructions on the form.

Refer to Example of how much income to report on each spouse's return.

In all cases, the tax deducted has to be claimed by the individual to whom the slip is issued. In most cases, the information slip issued for the withdrawal will be in the name of the annuitant. However, report the income according to the calculations completed in Parts 1 and 2 of Form T2205.