Treated as fully withdrawn immediately before death and taxed on the final return, unless it rolls over to a spouse or financially dependent child.
The Canadian position
Treated as fully withdrawn immediately before death and taxed on the final return, unless it rolls over to a spouse or financially dependent child.
Whether an asset passes through the estate determines both the probate cost and who ultimately receives it.
The Islamic position
A named beneficiary receives the funds while the estate pays the tax — so the other heirs effectively fund one heir's inheritance.
The fixed shares apply only to the net estate. Anything passing outside it is never divided by faraid.
The four Sunni schools are not recorded as differing materially on this point in the sources reviewed. Where your own case turns on it, put it to a scholar of your school.
What to do about it
- Confirm how your RRSP is currently held or designated.
- Decide deliberately whether it should follow the shares.
- Take tax advice before changing a designation.
- Re-check whenever the will changes.
General information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance depends entirely on the exact family circumstances. Confirm the Canadian position with a lawyer in your province and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.
Citations & sources
Every factual claim on this page traces to one of the references below. Legislation and dollar thresholds change — verify against the primary source before relying on any figure.
- Surah an-Nisa 4:11 — shares of children and parents — Quran.com
- Surah an-Nisa 4:12 — shares of spouses and uterine siblings — Quran.com
- Surah an-Nisa 4:176 — the kalalah verse — Quran.com
- Research Papers — Cambridge Muslim College
- Research — Cambridge Muslim College
- Academics — Islamic law and theology curriculum — Zaytuna College
- Encyclopaedia of Islam — Brill
- Death of an RRSP annuitant — Canada Revenue Agency
- What to do when someone has died — Canada Revenue Agency
- Income Tax Act, RSC 1985, c 1 (5th Supp) — Justice Laws Canada
- Probate notice beneficiaries ontario — Treadstone Law
- Designation matrimonial home ontario — Treadstone Law
- Who pays tax rrsp outside the estate ontario — Treadstone Law
- Trust distributes capital gains to beneficiaries tax — Treadstone Law
- Revocable vs irrevocable beneficiary life insurance ontario — Treadstone Law
- Common law rrsp beneficiary rights — Treadstone Law
- Wills & estates practice — Treadstone Law