Do I really need to update CRA if my marital status changes?

 Yes. A CRA marital status change and its tax implications in Canada can affect benefits, credits, and future tax calculations. Even if nothing else changes, CRA uses marital status when determining eligibility for several programs.

As outlined in How to Change Marital Status With the CRA (RC65 Guide), delays or incorrect updates can create adjustments later that are harder to untangle.