A big part of T4A season isn’t just the forms—it’s the communication.
If you don’t clearly tell contractors what you need and when you need it, you’ll spend January and February chasing missing details and stressing over deadlines.
This “year-end contractor reporting kit” gives you a structure for emails, templates, and timelines so you can manage T4A-related communication with far less friction.
Part 1: your key deadlines
First, map out the dates that matter. For example:
• CRA T4A filing deadline: [insert official date for the year]
• Your internal data deadline from contractors: 2–4 weeks before that
• Reminder email dates: 1–2 weeks before your internal deadline, plus a “last call”
Write these into your calendar and your practice management or project system. Everything else in this kit hangs off these dates.
Part 2: information you need from contractors
Before writing emails, be clear on what you’re asking for. Typically, you’ll need:
• Legal name or business name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• SIN or business number (where applicable)
• Confirmation that they were paid as an independent contractor, not employee
• Optional: preferred method for receiving their slip (email, portal, etc.)
If you use T4ASlip, you may have already collected much of this at onboarding—but year-end is a good time to confirm nothing has changed.
Part 3: your contractor data template
Create a simple template if you have to gather information in batches from an internal manager or admin team. This could be:
• A spreadsheet with one row per contractor, or
• An online form that feeds into your T4ASlip or internal system
Include fields for each data point you need and instructions at the top. The clearer the template, the fewer questions and errors you’ll have later.
Part 4: email #1 – early heads-up
Subject: Upcoming tax reporting – information we’ll need from you
Body (short example):
Hi [Name],
As we get close to year-end, we’re preparing our tax reporting for payments made to contractors.
Because we paid you for services in [year], we may need to issue you a T4A slip so you can complete your tax return. To make sure we have accurate information on file, please confirm or provide the following by [date]:
• Legal name or business name
• Current mailing address
• SIN or business number (if applicable)
You can reply directly to this email or complete this form: [link]
Thank you for helping us keep everything accurate and on time.
[Signature]
You can adjust the tone to fit your brand, but keep the request clear and the deadline prominent.
Part 5: email #2 – reminder before your internal deadline
Subject: Reminder – we still need your details for year-end tax reporting
Body (short example):
Hi [Name],
This is a friendly reminder that we still need your updated information for our year-end tax reporting.
If you’ve already responded—thank you, and you can ignore this message.
If not, please send or confirm the following by [date]:
• Legal name or business name
• Current mailing address
• SIN or business number (if applicable)
You can reply to this email or use this form: [link]
If we don’t receive your details, your T4A slip may be delayed.
Thanks again,
[Signature]
Part 6: email #3 – last call / late policy
Subject: Final call – information needed for your T4A slip
Body (short example):
Hi [Name],
This is our final reminder to provide your information for your T4A slip for [year].
To ensure your slip is prepared and filed on time, please send or confirm the following by [final internal date]:
• Legal name or business name
• Current mailing address
• SIN or business number (if applicable)
Reply to this email or use this form: [link]
If we don’t receive this information, we may not be able to prepare your slip by the filing deadline.
Thank you,
[Signature]
Part 7: internal communication template
Just as important as contractor emails is internal communication. Send a brief note to managers or admins who work with contractors:
Subject: Action needed – contractor information for T4A reporting
Body:
Hi team,
As part of our year-end process, we need to confirm key details for all contractors who were paid in [year]. This helps us prepare required T4A slips and stay compliant with CRA rules.
Please:
1. Review the attached contractor list for your department.
2. Confirm whether anyone is missing or no longer relevant.
3. Provide or update contact and tax details using the “Contractor Info” template or this form: [link].
Deadline: [internal date]
If you have questions about whether someone should be considered a contractor for T4A purposes, please reach out to [contact person].
Thanks for your help in keeping this process smooth.
[Signature]
Where T4ASlip fits in
T4ASlip can significantly streamline this communication kit by:
• Storing contractor details so you’re confirming, not collecting from scratch each year
• Highlighting which contractors are missing key details
• Providing clean lists you can use for internal and external outreach
• Reducing back-and-forth once the data is in place
You can still use the email templates above—but your starting point is a clear view of who actually needs attention.
Putting it together
A good year-end contractor reporting kit has:
• Clear deadlines
• Simple, reusable templates
• Standard email wording for contractors and internal stakeholders
• A system (like T4ASlip) to hold everything together
Prepare this once, adjust it slightly each year, and you’ll spend far less time writing ad-hoc emails and far more time simply following a plan.