Many business owners feel a mix of relief and embarrassment when they talk to their accountant about T4As. Relief, because someone else understands the rules. Embarrassment, because they’re not sure what they were supposed to do in the first place.
The good news: your accountant doesn’t expect you to know every CRA rule. What they do need is clean, organized information so they can advise you properly and help you stay compliant.
Here’s how to have a productive, confident conversation about T4As—and show up prepared.
Step 1: be honest about your current process
Start the conversation by giving your accountant a clear picture of what’s actually happening today:
• How you pay contractors (e‑transfer, cheque, payroll add‑on, etc.)
• Where you track those payments (spreadsheets, accounting software, manual notes)
• Whether you’ve issued T4A slips in previous years
• Any letters or notices you’ve received from the CRA related to information returns
This isn’t a test—it’s context. The more honest you are, the better advice you’ll get.
Step 2: bring a list of everyone you paid as a non‑employee
Accountants love lists. Before your meeting, prepare a simple table of:
• Name or business name
• Email and address (if you have them)
• Total paid in the tax year
• Brief description of what they did for you (coach, designer, consultant, driver, etc.)
• Whether they are an individual or corporation (if known)
• Whether you think you issued a T4/T4A/T4A‑NR in the past
You don’t need to have all the answers, but even a rough list puts you miles ahead of the “we’ll figure it out from bank statements” approach.
Step 3: ask specific questions instead of “What should we do?”
Broad questions lead to broad answers. Try questions like:
• “Based on this list, who do you think should be getting T4As?”
• “Are there any thresholds or rules we should be aware of for our type of business?”
• “Do any of these look like people the CRA might consider employees instead of contractors?”
• “For non‑resident contractors, what extra steps do we need to take?”
• “What do you need from us each year to prepare T4As efficiently?”
Specific questions lead to clear next steps and usually a more focused checklist you can follow.
Step 4: clarify responsibilities
One of the biggest sources of frustration is misunderstanding who does what. Clarify with your accountant:
• What your team is responsible for collecting (contractor info, invoices, payment data)
• What they will do (interpret rules, prepare or review slips, file with CRA)
• When they need the information by (their internal T4A deadline)
• How you should send data (export format, shared folder, access to software)
Write this down and treat it as part of your year‑end playbook.
Step 5: talk about systems, not just this year’s scramble
Use the meeting to think beyond this year:
• Which systems should you be using to track contractor payments?
• Could a tool like T4ASlip reduce error risk and prep time for both of you?
• How can you standardize contractor onboarding so key info is always captured?
• What reports should you run each month or quarter to stay on top of things?
Your accountant may even prefer that you adopt certain tools because it makes their work easier and more reliable.
Step 6: agree on a T4A timeline
T4A conversations often happen too late. Before you leave, agree on a timeline such as:
• November–December: you confirm which contractors you’ve used and make sure their info is up to date
• Early January: you send payment summaries or grant your accountant access to your T4A tool
• Late January: your accountant sends you drafts to review
• Before the CRA deadline: final slips are filed and distributed
Once you’ve agreed on dates, put them in your calendar like any other important project.
A simple “T4A meeting checklist”
To come prepared, bring:
• Your current contractor list with totals paid
• Any prior‑year T4A slips or CRA correspondence
• Notes on how you currently pay and track contractors
• A list of questions you want answered
• Ideas or constraints for systems you’re willing to use (for example, “we already use X accounting tool”)
That’s more than enough to have a focused, productive conversation.
How T4ASlip fits into the accountant relationship
T4ASlip can make life easier for both you and your accountant by:
• Centralizing contractor and payment data in one place
• Producing clear reports your accountant can review
• Reducing manual entry when it’s time to generate slips
• Creating a repeatable workflow you both understand
Instead of swapping messy spreadsheets and long email threads every February, you’re working from the same clean, structured data.
Bottom line
You don’t need to show up to your accountant as a T4A expert. You just need to:
• Be transparent about how things work now
• Bring organized information about who you paid
• Ask targeted questions
• Agree on a clear division of responsibilities and a timeline
Do that, and every future T4A conversation will feel less stressful—and more like a partnership.