6 Really Important Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for 2025 Year-End

Note: This year-end KIT is intended for Wagepoint 1.0 users. If you’ve upgraded to Wagepoint 2.0, here is the Wagepoint 2.0 year-end KIT.

When it comes to accurately filing your T4s, T4As and RL-1s, the secret sauce is all in your payroll data.

So we’ve created this list of items for you to review within your Wagepoint account to ensure a smooth and compliant year-end for your small business or accounting/bookkeeping clients.

While you can go through these steps anytime before January, our best advice is that you start this process as early as possible so that you can spot any potential red flags with enough time to make corrections, ask questions and avoid last-minute headaches.

1. Ensure that you have successfully completed a minimum of two (2) payrolls within Wagepoint during the 2025 calendar year, with pay dates occurring in 2025.

That’s the magic number needed in order to submit your year-end documents (T4s, T4As and RL-1s) using Wagepoint. If you’re not sure whether you ran two payrolls, review your reports to confirm that you qualify. If not, don’t worry! Going through this list early means you should still have enough time to run additional payrolls in this calendar year.

2. Confirm your “Auto-submit tax forms” toggle setting.

This one is key for a successful year-end in Wagepoint 1.0.

Please confirm that you’ve correctly set your “Auto-submit tax forms” status under Settings > Account Settings to indicate how you’d like your year-end forms handled this year.

The toggle is set to “Yes” by default, unless you have changed this setting in the past. Ensure the toggle is set to “Yes” if you wish for Wagepoint to automatically file your year-end forms with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Revenu Québec (RQ) on your behalf.
- Please note: If your toggle is set to “Yes”, Wagepoint will automatically submit the tax forms beginning on February 20, 2026. You can submit early as well if you prefer.
- Please note: The toggle will appear grayed out in the system until you run the required minimum of two (2) payrolls with pay dates in the current year.
Set the toggle to ‘No‘ if you prefer to submit your own tax forms to both the government and your employees.
Please note that you will not be able to change the auto-submit tax form setting in your account during the bulk submission period of February 20, 2026 until February 28, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.
You’ll be able to select your auto-submit tax form setting for next year (2026) starting March 9, 2026.

3. Review your reports.

Run these reports now to get a “big picture” view of your year-end data and spot any red flags.

Use the Year-to-date report (Reports > More > Year-to-date report) as a quick snapshot of your individual employee T4s. You must view each T4 individually.
Use the Payroll Register to see all your employees’ year-end data up to the latest pay run.
Use the T4/T4A/RL-1 export to view, in spreadsheet (CSV) form, all of your year-end information for your employees/contractors as it will appear on their actual T4s, T4As, and RL-1s. Think of it as a “test run” that will show you all of your data at a glance and allow you to spot and correct any errors before submitting the real deal. To create the report, navigate to Reports > More > Reports library and scroll down to “T4/T4A/RL1 Data Export (2026)“. All three files (if applicable), will be available for download at once.
- A little heads up: If you have employees in Québec, It is your responsibility as the employer to file your RL-1 summary with Revenu Québec. Wagepoint is not able to do this on your behalf.
- For details about Wagepoint’s updated RL-1 Summary process for 2025, and the ways you can file, please scroll down to “#6. NEW! Review these changes to 2025 year-end forms.”
  
  RL-1 summaries must be received at the Revenu Québec office on or before February 28, 2026.

Compare the Remittance report (Reports > More > Remittance report) in Wagepoint against the Statement of Account you receive from the CRA/RQ.
Please also take time this month to confirm payroll account numbers and remittance schedules.

4. Verify employee details.

A tiny mistake in an employee’s information can create headaches when submitting your year-end forms, especially if this happens for multiple employees at once. To keep your year-end smooth sailing, now is the perfect time to verify details for all active and terminated employees. Check for things like first name, last name, SIN, address, and tax settings.

If you will require a T4 or RL-1 for an employee who has not yet been added to your payroll account, please ensure that you enter this person’s data in the app before you run your last payroll for 2025 (with a pay date in 2025). Learn more.
If you will require a T4A for a contractor that has not yet been added to your payroll account, please ensure that you enter this person’s data in the app before you run your last payroll for 2025 (with a pay date in 2025). Learn more.

Special note for contractors in Québec

Wagepoint is unable to produce T4As or RL-1s for contractors in Québec without an RQ number. As the employer, you will need to produce, and submit, these year-end documents outside of Wagepoint.

Now is a great time to make sure that all of your employees are able to access their Wagepoint employee portals, where their T4s, T4As or RL-1s will be posted in 2026. Ask your team to test whether they are able to log in. No luck? You can easily view each employee/contractor’s user ID and set a temporary password for their account. Follow these instructions.

5. Think early about bonus runs.

Many employers leave bonus payroll runs until the last week of the year, to coincide with holidays, year-end bonuses, and more. But doing so can be risky if you plan to have the bonus payroll included in the employee’s 2025 T4, T4A, or RL-1. That’s because the payment date could fall in 2026 if the payroll is processed late in 2025 (especially due to holiday bank closures, which could impact processing timelines.)

To ensure that year-end documents reflect your bonus amounts, please process any bonus payroll runs:

DIRECT DEPOSIT (3 day processing) – On or before December 24, 2025 (by 12 pm ET) so that it is paid on December 31, 2025.

CHEQUE OR E-TRANSFER – On or before December 31, 2025 (by 12 pm ET) so that it is paid on or before December 31, 2025.

Please note the above dates are for a standard three-day processing schedule. If you are unsure what schedule you are on, please contact support.

Bonus tip for accounting and bookkeeping partners

November is a great time to also start thinking about your year-end support plan for your clients. Consider designating a payroll specialist (or two!) on your team who can help guide your clients through the year-end process and address their specific scenarios. Of course, Wagepoint will be here to support you and your people, too.

6. NEW! Review these changes to 2025 year-end forms.

Important update for Québec employers: Changes to the RL-1 Summary process

Revenu Québec (RQ) has introduced new requirements for 2025 RL-1 Summaries. One key change focuses on Box 82 (balance due), which includes totals from several sources outside the payroll process — such as contributions to the FSS, Labour Standards, and Workforce Skills and Development Funds.

Because Wagepoint doesn’t have access to these external figures, we’re unable to fully complete Box 82 to provide the new mandatory remittance voucher. As a result, you’ll no longer be able to print, sign, and mail your Wagepoint-generated RL-1 Summary to RQ as you have in previous years.

Like other providers, we’ve adapted our process to make sure you still have everything you need to file accurately and on time.

Here’s what’s changing:

Starting January 5, 2026, you’ll be able to download your watermarked RL-1 Summary from Wagepoint as a PDF.
This version is for your reference only and cannot be submitted to Revenu Québec.
You can use it as a “working copy” to add the external amounts required for Box 82, and then use that information to complete and submit your official RL-1 Summary to RQ.

How to file your RL-1 Summary

You can file your completed summary with Revenu Québec using one of the following methods:

The paper form mailed to you by RQ (or order a new one online)
Your RQ My Account for businesses
The fillable PDF available from RQ

Remember to follow RQ’s Guide to Filling the RL-1 Summary and to give yourself plenty of time to prepare and submit your file so that it is received by Revenu Québec no later than February 28, 2026.

New T4 box codes:

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has introduced three new T4 codes related to security options.

These updates apply to taxable benefits provided to employees. While these changes were originally to take effect on June 25, 2024, they have been pushed by the CRA to start in the 2025 tax year, effective January 1, 2026.

If your business offers employees security options (for example, stock options), take a moment to review the new codes below so you can report them correctly at year-end.

Security Option Reporting

Code 90 – Security Options Benefit

Use this new code when reporting the total value of a security options taxable benefit provided to an employee after June 25, 2025. If the benefit was provided prior to this date, report it using code 38 and box 14.

Code 91 – Security Options Deduction (Qualified Securities)

Use this code to report the portion of a taxable benefit from qualified security options eligible for the security options deduction. The code you use will depend on when the benefit was provided.

Before June 25, 2024: Report half ( ½) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 39.
From June 25, 2024 to December 31, 2024: Report one-third ( ⅓ ) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 91.
After December 31, 2024: Report half ( ½) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 91.

Code 92 – Security Options Deduction (Non-Qualified Securities)

Use this code to report the portion of a taxable benefit from non-qualified security options eligible for the security options deduction. The code you use will depend on when the benefit was provided.

Before June 25, 2024: Report half ( ½) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 41.
From June 25, 2024 to December 31, 2024: Report one-third ( ⅓) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 92.
After December 31, 2024: Report half (½) of the value of the taxable benefit using code 92.

Remember that these codes only apply if your business provides security options. For most employers, no action is required, but reviewing them ahead of year-end will help ensure accurate reporting and compliance with CRA rules.

We’re here to help.
Contact Wagepoint’s customer support by submitting a ticket directly within the app, or sending us an email to support@wagepoint.com.