KWB: Understanding Salary vs. Dividends for Business Owners
If you own an incorporated business in Canada, you have options when it comes to how you withdraw funds from it. Two of the most common ways are salary and dividends. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide what makes the most sense for you:
Paying Yourself a Salary: Key Considerations for Business Owners
Paying yourself a salary gives you a regular paycheque. You run payroll, deduct taxes and CPP, and report it on a T4 when you file your taxes.
Pros:
- Builds RRSP contribution room
- Helps with mortgage or loan applications
- Contributes to CPP, which provides a retirement benefit
- Is a deductible expense for the corporation
Cons:
Requires CPP contributions from both you and the company and involves payroll setup and regular remittances.
Withdrawing Funds from Your Business: Dividends
Dividends are paid out of your company’s after-tax profits. There’s no CPP or tax deducted at source, and you file a T5 instead of a T4 at tax time.
Pros:
- No CPP contributions
- Simple to issue (no payroll process)
- Can result in lower personal tax, depending on your income
- No payments required to CRA until filing and payment of personal taxes
Dividends don’t build RRSP room or CPP benefits and must be paid from retained earnings.
Paying Yourself Dividends: Benefits and Tax Implications
Many business owners use a combination of salary and dividends. You can pay yourself enough salary to create RRSP room and contribute to CPP, then top up your income with dividends to reduce your overall tax bill. Or, consider a base salary that meets your basic needs and take dividends when you need extra.
Salary vs. Dividends: Planning Considerations
CPP rates have increased in 2025 under CPP2 making a salary a potentially more expensive option than dividends, however a salary may improve your future retirement income from increased RRSPs and CPP benefits. Dividends would be a better option if you’re wanting to keep more cash in the business.
Combining Salary and Dividends: The Blended Compensation Strategy
At KWB, we help business owners choose the right mix of salary and dividends based on your circumstances and goals. Book an introduction meeting with us to learn more about how we can help you simplify your accounting, improve your profit, and achieve your goals.