Canada Form RC65 E: Report a Marital Status Change to the CRA

Canada Form RC65 E PDF Details

The Canada RC65 E form lets you notify the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the primary tax authority in Canada, about a change in your marital status. You must file this form within 30 days of your status change. Your marital status directly affects your eligibility for two key benefits: the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) and GST/HST credit payments. The CRA recalculates these amounts based on your updated family net income.

Who Needs to File Form RC65 E

You need to file Form RC65 E if your marital status changed due to any of the following events:

• Marriage or entering a common-law relationship
• Separation from a spouse or common-law partner (after 90 consecutive days)
• Divorce finalized by a court
• Death of a spouse or common-law partner
• Return to a single status

How Your Tax Benefits Are Affected

A change in marital status changes how the CRA calculates your benefits. Benefits are recalculated based on your new family net income. A newly single individual may qualify for higher CCTB payments or GST/HST credits that were previously reduced by a combined household income. If you delay filing, the CRA may overpay or underpay your benefits, leading to a repayment notice at tax year-end.

What Information You Need to Complete the Form

Before filling out the RC65 E form, gather these details:

• Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Your new marital status and the exact date it changed
• Your new spouse's or common-law partner's SIN and date of birth (if applicable)
• Your updated mailing address if you have moved
• New banking information if your direct deposit details have changed

What Happens If You File Late

Filing late can cause the CRA to issue an overpayment or underpayment of benefits. The CRA will issue a notice to repay any excess amounts. File promptly after your status changes to avoid this problem and to receive the correct benefit amounts each month.

Other Ways to Notify the CRA

In addition to the paper RC65 E form, you can report a marital status change through your CRA My Account at canada.ca. You may also call the CRA at 1-800-387-1193. For changes that also involve a province move or updated banking information, the RC65 E paper form remains the recommended method, as it handles all updates in one submission. Related Canadian forms include the Canada T2 tax form and the Canada IMM 5257 application form. If your status change involves a legal separation, a marital settlement agreement may also be required.