I filed a pair of T1s for a couple back in April 2024…with “Hubby” claiming the CCR (verified from looking at the return summary and the checkbox on it).
All 2024 payments went to “Wife”…Hubby just contacted me to find out where his CCR payments were and while they have now separated some time back, I still have access to Wife.
But…how did that get changed and what might I do about it? Puzzled.
The spouse assessed first gets the money, regardless. If they’re simple returns, they’ll be assessed instantly. I always transmit the return of the spouse who I want to receive the cash before I transmit the other.
For GST Credit and Climate Credit and anything else that "could’ go to one or the other in the couple…my policy is to advise clients that while I have ticked the boxes and filed spouse A first… there are no guarantees as to what happens on CRA side.
Any client who advises me of a split… I advise them to contact CRA (after 90 days from date of separation) to advise them so that the credits can be distributed accordingly. I normally do not get involved in chasing credits.
As you were aware they were separated and no guarantee the " other" spouse was returning to you as a client… I would Not have looked her up on CRA.
Often in a breakup, we lose one portion of the couple to a different tax preparer.
If I were to help, my policy is to advise the first spouse that I will contact the other spouse for permission to access their file in hopes of tracking down if they did receive the credit.
Often in that phone call or email you can assure “Other spouse” that all will be kept separate and confidential and you have gained their trust by contacting them before accessing or providing info to the first spouse and you may not loose them.
On a personal note, I would be livid if anyone provided info regarding me to my former spouse and would look elsewhere.
Hoping this provides a different perspective, it is no meant to be hurtful or critical.
Well, that’s annoying that CRA simply applies it to the first spouse filed!!
I’ll remember that for future.
Possibly odd, but I have rather a number of separated/divorced couples for whom I continue to act (as I do in this case, at least pro tem) individually and collectively.
I always advise them that I will, where required, provide identical counsel to them where it concerns a mutual issue, if, as and when that may occur. Nobody seems to get too fussed.
I think CRA pays the spouse getting these credits in the past.
Not in this case. Hubby claimed in 23.
My letter to client specifies that whichever return is filed first, receives the credits and I have not modified that wording myself. It comes standard from TaxCycle.
Funny fact: I never use the built-in letters and never have, not with Cantax, Profile or TC.
Good to know though…had never occurred to me that CRA would just do what it wants rather than what we file. (Oh…wait…that just isn’t true!! 
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