How to Report a Marriage, Separation, Divorce or Common-Law Change to the CRA
Report a marriage, common-law relationship, separation or divorce to the CRA by the required deadline. Learn the 90-day separation rule, how to update My Account, what information you need and how the change can affect benefit and credit payments.
CA Canada
Taxes & Money ~ 13 min read
17 FAQ
Updated 2026-08-27
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You must tell the Canada Revenue Agency about a change in marital status by the end of the month following the month in which your status changed. You can update it immediately online through your CRA account or by phone. You can also send Form RC65 or a signed letter by mail or fax, which the CRA says takes 4 to 6 weeks after receipt. There is one important separation rule: do not report yourself as separated until you have lived separate and apart because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days. Once the 90-day period is met, the effective separation date is the day you first started living apart. The CRA may recalculate benefits and credits based on your new adjusted family net income, with adjustments beginning the month after the marital-status change.
What you need
- Report the change by the end of the month following the month in which your marital status changed.
- For a separation, wait until you have been living separate and apart because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days before reporting separated status.
- Use the first day you started living apart as the effective date of separation once the 90-day requirement is satisfied.
- For an online update, you need access to your CRA account and Individual account.
- For a phone update, have your Social Insurance Number, full name, date of birth, complete address and information from an assessed tax return, notice of assessment, reassessment or another tax document available for identity verification.
- For a mail or fax request, complete Form RC65 or provide a signed letter containing your name, phone numbers, SIN, new marital status and date of change.
- If your new status is married or living common-law and you use a letter, also provide your partner's name, SIN and address if it differs from yours.
Eligibility
You must update the CRA when you get married, become common-law, have been separated for at least 90 days because of a breakdown in the relationship, get divorced or become widowed.
For CRA purposes, married means that you have a spouse to whom you are legally married.
You are generally living common-law when you live in a conjugal relationship with someone who is not your married spouse and at least one CRA condition applies: you have lived together in that relationship for at least 12 continuous months, the person is the parent of your child by birth or adoption, or the person has custody and control of your child and the child is wholly dependent on them for support. Periods of separation of less than 90 days because of a breakdown in the relationship are included when applying the 12-month continuous cohabitation rule.
You are considered separated for CRA purposes only after you and your spouse or common-law partner have lived separate and apart because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days. Separation for work, school, health reasons or another involuntary reason does not make you separated for CRA purposes if the relationship has not broken down.
Divorced means that you are legally divorced from your former spouse.
How to do it
- Identify the date your marital status changed. For marriage or divorce, use the applicable legal change date. For common-law status, use the date you met the CRA definition. For separation, wait until the 90-day separation period has been completed, then use the first day you started living apart as the effective date.
- Report the change by the end of the following month. Do not wait until the next tax-filing season.
- For the fastest method, sign in to your CRA account and select your Individual account.
- Select Profile, scroll to Marital status and select Edit.
- Follow the prompts to enter the new marital status and effective date.
- If you cannot update online, contact the CRA by phone and have your SIN, full name, date of birth, complete address and tax information ready for identity verification.
- Alternatively, complete Form RC65, Marital Status Change, or write a signed letter and mail or fax it to your CRA tax centre.
- If reporting married or living common-law status by letter, include your partner's name, SIN and address if different from yours.
- Check future benefit and credit payments because the CRA will recalculate applicable amounts using your updated family information.
- Update other government departments separately when necessary because the CRA does not automatically share your marital-status change with them.
When do you have to report a marital status change to the CRA?
You must notify the Canada Revenue Agency about a new marital status by the end of the month following the month in which your status changed.
For example, if you get married in March, the CRA requires you to report the change by the end of April.
The CRA specifically says not to wait until tax-filing season because marital status can directly affect benefits and credits.
Which marital status changes must be reported?
You must update the CRA if you:
- get married;
- become common-law;
- become separated because of a relationship breakdown and meet the 90-day rule;
- get divorced;
- become widowed.
The date you report is important because applicable benefit and credit adjustments generally start with the month after the marital-status change.
How to change your marital status online with the CRA
The fastest method is through your CRA account. The CRA lists online marital-status changes as having an immediate processing time.
- Sign in to your CRA account.
- Select your Individual account to access My Account.
- Select Profile.
- Scroll to Marital status.
- Select Edit.
- Follow the instructions to enter your new status and effective date.
You should use the actual effective date required by the CRA rather than the day you happen to submit the update.
How to report a marriage to the CRA
If you legally marry, update your status to Married. You must notify the CRA by the end of the month following the month of the marriage.
The CRA uses your new family situation when recalculating benefits and credits that depend on adjusted family net income.
If you are sending a signed letter rather than using Form RC65, include your partner's name, SIN and address if their address is different from yours.
When does the CRA consider you common-law?
You are considered to have a common-law partner when you live with someone in a conjugal relationship, are not legally married to that person, and at least one of the following conditions applies:
- you have lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 continuous months;
- the person is the parent of your child by birth or adoption;
- the person has custody and control of your child, or had custody and control immediately before the child turned 19, and the child is wholly dependent on that person for support.
The 12-month rule is not the only way to become common-law for CRA purposes. Having a child together can cause the CRA common-law definition to apply without waiting 12 months when the applicable condition is met.
Does a short breakup reset the 12-month common-law period?
Not necessarily. The CRA states that the 12 continuous months includes periods when you were separated for less than 90 days because of a breakdown in the relationship.
How does the CRA's 90-day separation rule work?
You should not report yourself as separated immediately after moving apart.
For CRA purposes, you must have been living separate and apart from your spouse or common-law partner because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days.
Once the 90-day period is completed, your effective separation date is the first day you started living apart, not the 90th day.
Example of the CRA separation date
If you begin living separate and apart because of a relationship breakdown on June 1 and remain separated for at least 90 days, you report June 1 as the effective date of separation after the 90-day condition has been satisfied.
The CRA can then recalculate applicable benefits based on the effective date.
Does living apart always mean you are separated for CRA purposes?
No. You are still considered to have a spouse or common-law partner if you live apart involuntarily and the relationship has not broken down.
The CRA gives examples such as one partner living elsewhere because of:
- work;
- school;
- health reasons;
- incarceration.
The 90-day separation rule applies when living apart results from a breakdown in the relationship.
How to report a divorce to the CRA
When you become legally divorced, report your new status as Divorced by the end of the month following the month in which the divorce became effective.
If you had already reported a qualifying separation before the divorce, you should still update your status when the legal divorce occurs.
Can you report a marital status change by phone?
Yes. The CRA lists a phone marital-status update as having an immediate processing time.
Before calling, have the following information available for identity verification:
- your Social Insurance Number;
- your full name;
- your date of birth;
- your complete address;
- information from an assessed tax return, notice of assessment or reassessment, or another tax document.
If another person is speaking for you by phone, the CRA permits this when you are present to verify your identity in English or French and provide verbal authorization, or when the person is your legal representative with full legal authority to act for you.
How to use Form RC65 to change your marital status
If you do not update online or by phone, you can complete Form RC65, Marital Status Change.
The current 2026 version of Form RC65 is available from the CRA. Mail or fax the completed request to the appropriate CRA tax centre.
The CRA lists the processing time for marital-status updates by mail or fax as 4 to 6 weeks after receiving the documents.
Can you send a letter instead of Form RC65?
Yes. The CRA accepts a signed letter instead of Form RC65.
Your letter must include:
- your name;
- your phone numbers;
- your Social Insurance Number;
- your new marital status;
- the date of the change;
- your signature.
If your new status is Married or Living in common-law, also include your partner's:
- name;
- Social Insurance Number;
- address, if different from yours.
Can you change marital status on your tax return?
Yes, but the CRA says you should not wait until tax season if your status has already changed.
If you report the change while filing electronically through NETFILE or EFILE, the marital-status change is processed at the same date and time as the return.
If you report it on a paper return, the CRA gives an approximate processing time of 8 weeks after receiving the return.
How does a marital status change affect CRA benefits and credits?
Marital status matters because many CRA-administered benefits and credits are calculated using adjusted family net income.
When you are married or common-law, adjusted family net income can include both your income and your spouse's or common-law partner's income. When the family composition changes, the CRA recalculates applicable benefits and credits to determine whether you were paid too much or too little.
The CRA states that the adjustment, if any, starts the month after the marital-status change.
What happens to the Canada Child Benefit after marriage or separation?
The Canada Child Benefit is recalculated after the CRA receives a marital-status change. The CRA uses the new adjusted family net income and applies the adjustment beginning with the month after the change.
This means a marriage or new common-law relationship can reduce or otherwise change payments when household income changes, while a qualifying separation can result in the CRA recalculating payments using the updated family situation.
What happens if the CRA paid too much after your marital status changed?
If the recalculation shows that you received more benefits or credits than you were entitled to, the CRA can create an overpayment.
The CRA will send a notice and remittance information showing the balance owing.
Reporting your change promptly helps the CRA recalculate ongoing payments sooner and can reduce the risk of continuing to receive amounts based on outdated family information.
What if the CRA owes you more after the change?
The recalculation can also show that you were entitled to more than you received. The CRA determines the applicable adjustment based on your updated marital status and family income information.
The effect of a change is not always a reduction in benefits. It depends on the program and your updated adjusted family net income.
Do both partners have to update their CRA marital status?
Each person's CRA record must accurately reflect their own marital status. Do not assume that changing your own profile automatically gives you authority to change your spouse's or partner's account.
To change another person's marital status online, including a spouse or family member, you must be their legal representative and use Represent a Client through your CRA account.
A legal representative can also submit a written request for another person according to the CRA rules.
Does the CRA marital status update change your address too?
No. Marital status and address are separate personal-information updates.
If you moved when you married or separated, update your address separately with the CRA. A separation does not require you to wait 90 days before changing your address. The 90-day waiting period applies to reporting separated marital status.
Does the CRA tell other government departments about your new marital status?
No. The CRA states that it does not share your new marital status or other personal information, including direct-deposit information, with other government departments for the purpose of updating their records.
You need to contact other government organizations that provide services to you and update their records separately when required.
What marital status do you put on your tax return?
Your income tax and benefit return asks for the marital status that applies on December 31 of the tax year.
If you are separated at year-end but have not yet completed the required 90-day separation period when you file, the CRA instructs you to report married or living common-law, as applicable. If you later complete at least 90 days of continuous separation because of the relationship breakdown, update your CRA status to separated using the first day you started living apart as the effective date.
The CRA also states that an amended return may be required to correct tax amounts claimed or amounts that you became entitled to because of the marital-status change.
What if you reconcile after a separation?
If you resume the relationship and your marital status changes again, your CRA information must reflect the new situation. The common-law definition specifically treats a separation of less than 90 days because of a relationship breakdown as part of the 12 continuous months for determining common-law status.
Use the date that corresponds to the status recognized under the CRA rules and report the new change by the applicable deadline.
CRA marital status change deadlines at a glance
| Change | When to report | Important rule |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage | By the end of the following month | Report the marriage date |
| Become common-law | By the end of the following month | Use the CRA common-law definition, including the 12-month or child-related conditions |
| Separation | Only after at least 90 days of separation due to a relationship breakdown | Once eligible, use the first day you started living apart as the effective date |
| Divorce | By the end of the following month | Report when you become legally divorced |
| Widowed | By the end of the following month | Report the marital-status change to the CRA |
CRA marital status update checklist
- Identify whether your new status is married, living common-law, separated, divorced or widowed.
- Determine the correct effective date.
- For separation, wait until the 90-day requirement is satisfied.
- Report the change by the required deadline rather than waiting for tax season.
- Use your CRA account for an immediate online update where possible.
- Use phone, Form RC65 or a signed letter if needed.
- Provide your spouse's or partner's information when required for a married or common-law update.
- Review future benefit and credit payments after the CRA recalculates your entitlement.
- Respond to any CRA notice if the recalculation creates an overpayment.
- Update your address separately if you also moved.
- Notify other government departments separately when their records also need to change.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to report a marriage to the CRA?
You must report the marriage by the end of the month following the month in which you got married. For example, a March marriage must be reported by the end of April.
When do I have to tell the CRA that I am common-law?
Report the change by the end of the month following the month in which you meet the CRA common-law definition. This may occur after 12 continuous months of living together in a conjugal relationship or earlier when one of the CRA's child-related common-law conditions applies.
How long do I have to be separated before telling the CRA?
You must wait until you have lived separate and apart because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days. Once the 90-day condition is met, the effective separation date is the first day you started living apart.
Do I use the 90th day as my CRA separation date?
No. After you have completed the required 90-day separation period, the CRA treats the first day you started living separate and apart because of the relationship breakdown as the effective separation date.
Am I separated for CRA purposes if my spouse works in another city?
Not solely for that reason. The CRA says an involuntary separation for work, school, health reasons or incarceration does not make you separated for tax purposes when there has not been a breakdown in the relationship.
Can I change my marital status online with the CRA?
Yes. Sign in to your CRA account, open your Individual account, select Profile, scroll to Marital status and select Edit. The CRA lists online processing as immediate.
Can I report a CRA marital status change by phone?
Yes. The CRA lists phone processing as immediate. Have your SIN, full name, date of birth, complete address and information from an assessed tax return or other tax document available for identity verification.
What form do I use to change my marital status with the CRA?
Use Form RC65, Marital Status Change, if you choose to report the change by mail or fax.
How long does Form RC65 take to process?
The CRA states that marital-status changes submitted by mail or fax take approximately 4 to 6 weeks after the CRA receives the documents.
Can I send a letter instead of Form RC65?
Yes. Your signed letter must include your name, phone numbers, SIN, new marital status and date of change. If your new status is married or living common-law, include your partner's name, SIN and address if different from yours.
How does getting married affect CRA benefits?
The CRA recalculates applicable benefits and credits using your new adjusted family net income, which can include both spouses' or partners' income. Any adjustment generally starts the month after your marital status changed.
How does separation affect the Canada Child Benefit?
After you satisfy the 90-day separation rule and report the change, the CRA recalculates the Canada Child Benefit using the updated marital status and family income. The adjustment applies starting with the month after the effective marital-status change.
What happens if I report my marital status late?
The CRA may recalculate benefits and credits using the correct effective date. If you received too much, the recalculation can create an overpayment that must be repaid. If you received too little, the CRA determines the applicable adjustment.
Does changing my CRA marital status also change my address?
No. Address and marital status are separate CRA updates. If you moved, update your address separately. You do not need to wait 90 days to report an address change after separating.
Does the CRA tell other government departments that I got married or divorced?
No. The CRA says it does not share your new marital status with other government departments for the purpose of updating their records. Contact other organizations separately when required.
Can I update my spouse's CRA marital status from my account?
Only if you are their legal representative. To change another person's marital status online, the CRA requires a legal representative to use Represent a Client.
What marital status should I put on my tax return if I have been separated for less than 90 days?
If the 90-day period has not yet been completed, the CRA instructs you to report married or living common-law, as applicable. If the separation continues for at least 90 days because of a relationship breakdown, update your status afterward using the first day you started living apart as the effective date.
Official sources
Change your marital status - Update your personal information with the CRARC65 Marital Status ChangeMarital status on your income tax and benefit returnCanada Child BenefitChange in marital status - CRA life eventsRelated procedures
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