Risk of SIN numbers being revealed

Original T4A forms may show SIN number when placed in standard envelope

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recently identified a risk that under certain circumstances, the paper version of the original 2010 T4A form as well as the downloadable electronic version of the form could reveal the recipient’s Social Insurance Number box when it is placed in a standard T4 window envelope.

To mitigate this risk, the CRA changed the paper T4A form and the electronic version of the T4A form on its Web site. The revised form renamed “T4A (12/2010)” has been changed to move Box 012 - Social Insurance Number, Box 013 - Recipient’s Account Number and Box 61 Payer’s Account Number up by half a centimetre.

T4A forms are being reprinted and are being re-issued to everyone who has ordered and received the previous version.

Please note that some software may have been developed to conform to the previous 2010 T4A form and may not print information within the repositioned boxes on the revised form. Caution should be taken to ensure that confidential information is not visible through a window envelope.

If forms using the previous 2010 T4A form have already completed and distributed, do not re-issue them on the new form. However, ensure than any further T4A forms (original, amended, added, cancelled or replaced) are completed on the revised version of the form.

Latest stories