| Date: September 19, 1991 | |
| Senior Management Personnel | W.E. Douglas |
| Human Resources Branch | 957-3497 |
| Room 501 | |
| MacDonald Bldg. | |
| Monique Roy-Moubarak | |
| Programs Officer | File No.: 912488 |
| Subject: Deferral of Payment - Separation Benefits |
This is with respect to your memorandum of September 13, 1991 concerning the tax consequences to a retiring employee who requests the deferral of part of a lump sum payment until the following year in order to minimize income taxes.
The lump sum payment may consist of some or all of the following"
| Severance pay | up to 28 weeks' salary |
| Pay in lieu of unfulfilled surplus period (cash out) | up to 26 weeks' salary |
| Additional separation benefit | up to 15 weeks' salary |
Cash out of unused accumulated vacation pay may be several months in some cases
As we discussed (Roy-Moubarak/Douglas), the unused vacation pay is not considered a retiring allowance but rather is income from employment to which the employee is entitled on retirement. Accordingly, there should be no undue delay in paying out such amounts.
With respect to the severance pay, the unfulfilled surplus period pay, and the additional separation benefit, such amounts would be considered "retiring allowances" for the purposes of the Income Tax Act and it is our position that it is permissible for the employer to spread the payment of such amounts to the retiree over an unrestricted period of time.
R. J. L. ReadDirector GeneralRulings Director