T5008 – Securities Transactions 

If you sold securities during the year, such as stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds, you likely received a T5008 Statement of Securities Transactions. Unlike the T5 or T3, which report investment income, the T5008 focuses on the sale or disposition of investments. It does not report income, but it does help determine whether a gain or loss occurred.

At Optimize, we use your T5008 along with your investment records to ensure your capital gains and losses are accurately tracked and reported. Understanding what this form includes, and what it omits, helps avoid overpaying tax or missing planning opportunities.

The Foundation of Capital Transaction Reporting

The T5008 form is issued when you sell securities from a non-registered account. It includes:

• A description of the security

• The date of disposition (the sale date)

• The proceeds of disposition (what you received from the sale)

• The number of units or shares sold

What it does not include is your adjusted cost base (ACB), which is the original cost of the investment plus any reinvested income or transaction fees. This means the T5008 alone cannot tell you whether you had a gain or a loss. You must know your ACB to make that calculation.

Why the T5008 Matters in Your Financial Plan

The T5008 is an important starting point for calculating capital gains or losses. But the form only shows what you sold something for, not what you paid for it. This matters when you are:

• Rebalancing your portfolio and selling certain investments

• Withdrawing funds for income or goals from a non-registered account

• Harvesting capital losses to offset other gains

• Transitioning out of certain holdings or accounts

Learn how to read a T5008 form to better understand the details and terminology used throughout your return.

If you or your tax preparer simply report the proceeds from the T5008 without adjusting for the ACB, your capital gains may be overstated. That can result in paying more tax than you actually owe.

Learn how to read a T5008

Understanding your T5008 means more than just recording a sale. It shows how your investment transactions affect capital gains, taxes, and strategy. The slip lists what you sold, not your profit or loss, so reading it correctly is key to accurate reporting.

At Optimize, we turn this data into planning insights. This article breaks down the T5008 to help you file confidently and manage your portfolio with clarity.

Identification and Basic Information

This section links your investment transaction to your identity and the institution that processed it.

Recipient’s name and address
Shows who completed the transaction and must report the gain or loss.

Issuer’s name and address
Identifies the brokerage or institution where the trade occurred.

Account number
Used by the CRA to identify the source and track consistency across filings.

Tax year
Indicates the year in which the sale was completed and must be reported.

Disposition Details and Amounts

This section outlines the details of the securities you sold. It does not calculate your gain or loss — that’s up to you or your tax software, using the original cost and sale proceeds.

• Box 21 – Proceeds of disposition or settlement amount
  The total amount received from the sale of the security. This is not your capital gain — it’s the gross sale value.

• Box 20 – Cost or book value
  This may show the adjusted cost base (ACB) of the security, but not always. You are responsible for confirming and reporting the correct ACB.

• Box 22 – Outlays or expenses
  Commission or trading fees related to the sale, if known. These can reduce your capital gain.

Description and Quantity of Securities

This section describes the security sold and how many units or shares were involved.

• Security description
  Includes the name of the stock, bond, mutual fund, or other investment sold.

• Quantity
  How many units or shares were sold during the reported transaction.