TD1 Personal Tax Credits Helper

Almost every new hire in Canada is handed two TD1 forms on day one and fills them wrong. The forms are short but the instructions assume you already know what a pension income amount or a caregiver amount is. This helper walks the lines in order, tells you what each one actually means, and flags the two mistakes that cost real money: claiming the basic personal amount twice when you hold two jobs, and forgetting the provincial form entirely. Complete this, then fill the CRA's own forms — they are what your employer keeps.

What this template is for

A draft built around the details you need

Use this before completing the federal TD1 and your provincial TD1 so your employer withholds the right amount of tax from your first paycheque.

This is an orientation aid, not the form and not tax advice. The dollar amounts for each credit change annually and appear on the CRA's current TD1. If your situation is complex — multiple jobs, mid-year arrival in Canada, disability or caregiver credits — confirm with the CRA or a tax professional.

How to use it

  1. Select your province so the correct provincial form is linked.
  2. Work down the checklist and tick every line that applies to your situation.
  3. Open the official federal and provincial TD1 forms and enter the amounts there.
  4. Give both completed forms to your employer. Do not send them to the CRA.

What is on the checklist

Example shown for Ontario

Every item in the td1 personal tax credits helper, shown in full. Tick the ones that apply in the tool below.

Start here

  • Confirm you have both forms: the federal TD1 and your province's TD1 (Quebec uses TP-1015.3-V for provincial tax)
  • Check the year printed on the form matches the current year
  • Fill in your name, date of birth, address, and social insurance number on the form itself

The basic personal amount

  • Everyone claims the basic personal amount on line 1 — it is pre-printed, you do not calculate it
  • If you have more than one employer at the same time, claim it with only ONE of them and tick the more-than-one-employer box on the others
  • If you arrived in Canada part-way through the year, you may only claim a prorated amount — read the form's residency note carefully

Credit lines to check

  • Canada caregiver amount for an infirm dependant, spouse, or common-law partner
  • Amount for an eligible dependant, if you support a dependent relative and have no spouse
  • Spouse or common-law partner amount, if your partner's income is low
  • Tuition, if you are a student paying more than the minimum in fees this year
  • Age amount, if you will be 65 or older by the end of the year
  • Pension income amount, if you receive eligible pension income
  • Disability amount, if you have an approved T2201 on file with the CRA

The back of the form

  • Tick the more-than-one-employer box if you claimed the basic personal amount elsewhere
  • Request additional tax deducted if you have side income, a second job, or expect to owe at filing time
  • Sign and date it. An unsigned TD1 is not valid

After you hand it in

  • Give both forms to your employer or payroll, not to the CRA
  • Check your first pay stub against the salary after tax calculator (/tools/salary-after-tax-calculator) to see whether withholding looks right
  • File a new TD1 whenever your credits change — a new dependant, a partner's income change, or turning 65

Make your own

Fill in your details, then download a PDF or an editable Word file.

Start here
The basic personal amount
Credit lines to check
The back of the form
After you hand it in

Nothing you type here leaves your browser. The file is generated on your device.

Official forms for this task

Common questions

What is a TD1 and why did my employer give me two?

The TD1 tells your employer how much tax to hold back from each paycheque. You get two because Canada taxes you federally and provincially: one federal TD1 and one for your province. Quebec is the exception — Quebec employees complete the federal TD1 plus Revenu Quebec's TP-1015.3-V.

What happens if I claim the basic personal amount at two jobs?

Both employers withhold as though that income is your only income, so not enough tax comes off overall and you get a bill at filing time. Claim it at one employer, tick the more-than-one-employer box on the other, and consider requesting additional tax deducted.

What if I do not fill out a TD1 at all?

Your employer must withhold using the basic personal amount only, with no other credits. You will not be penalized, but you may have more tax taken off each pay than you owe and wait until your return to get it back.

I moved to Canada in June. Can I claim the full basic personal amount?

Only if your Canadian-source income for the year will be 90% or more of your total world income for the period you were not a resident. Otherwise the form limits you to a prorated amount based on your residency period. This is the line newcomers most often get wrong.

Do I send the TD1 to the CRA?

No. Your employer keeps it. The CRA can ask to see it, so your employer must retain it, but you do not file it with your tax return.

How this template is maintained

Last reviewed
Reviewed by
Thomas TremblayFounder and editor, Canooq

Sources

See also

Practical pathways

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