catax.tools

T4 Box 40 — Other taxable allowances and benefits

Taxable benefits and allowances that have no T4 code of their own — group term life insurance, car allowances, taxable gifts. Already included in Box 14.

At a glance — Box 40

Box name
Other taxable allowances and benefits
T1 line
Not reported on T1 directly
Check against
Your pay stubs or benefits statement for taxable benefits that have no dedicated T4 code of their own — Code 40 is a residual, not a total.

What Box 40 means

Code 40 is the catch-all for taxable allowances and benefits that do not have a code of their own. CRA's instruction to employers is to report a taxable benefit under Code 40 and Box 14 unless the benefit is reported under another code of the T4 slip. Typical Code 40 items: employer-paid group term life insurance premiums (taxable in full — there is no exempt threshold), an allowance or reimbursement for the use of your own vehicle, premiums to a medical plan that fails the private health services plan test, and the taxable part of non-cash gifts and awards.

It is therefore NOT the sum of the other benefit codes. Board and lodging (code 30), travel in a prescribed zone (code 32), the company-car benefit (code 34), interest-free and low-interest loans (code 36) and security option benefits (code 38) are reported under those codes, not folded into Code 40. Two things that look like Code 40 candidates are not benefits at all: employer contributions to a qualifying private health services plan are not taxable, and Code 85 is the premium YOU paid, which is a medical expense rather than a benefit.

Crucially, Box 40 is informational — these benefits are already included in Box 14 (employment income). You do not add Box 40 separately when filing, and your employee does not report it on any line of the return.

Tax return implications

  • No separate reporting needed — already in Box 14 and on Line 10100.
  • Worth reading against your pay records: a benefit landing in Code 40 that should have been non-taxable (a qualifying health plan premium, a reimbursement for genuine business use of your own car) is over-reported income, and the fix is an amended T4 from your employer.

FAQ

Do I add Box 40 to Box 14?

No. Box 40 is already included in Box 14. It is shown separately so you can see how much of your Box 14 comes from non-cash benefits.

Related T4 boxes

Filing your return? Use the payroll deductions calculator to verify the amounts on your T4 match expected CPP, EI and income tax withholdings, and the income tax calculator to estimate your refund or balance owing.

Sources

T4 box definitions from CRA T4 employer guide. Rates and thresholds current for 2025; file your 2025 T1 by April 30, 2026 (self-employed June 15).

Related Calculators

Most searched navigate · open