Section 147.4

After the employer has wound up its registered pension plan ("RPP"), it is discovered that the plan administrator failed to acquire an annuity for one individuals who had elected at the time of wind-up that a deferred annuity be purchased for him or her out of the pension plan. The employer is looking to acquire an annuity for the individual in the current year in order to provide the stated monthly pension when the individual turns age 65. Will there be an inclusion in the individual's income when the annuity is acquired? CRA responded:

Where the conditions under subsection 147.4(1)… are met, the individual is deemed not to have received an amount from the RPP as a result of acquiring the annuity and any amounts received under the contract are deemed to be amounts received under the RPP. As a consequence, there is no immediate taxation on acquisition of the annuity contract and any payments under the contract are included in the recipient's income in the year in which they are received.

However [here]… the purchase of the annuity contract was not made with funds from the RPP and therefore the conditions under subsection 147.4(1)… have not been met. Consequently, the individual…would be required to include the fair market value of the annuity contract in their taxable income in the year of purchase of the annuity under subparagraph 56(1)(a)(i)… .