Configuration interaction (C I) studies of ground, n ~r*, ~ ~r* electronically excited singlet and triplet states and of the ionized states (cations) are reported for p-benzoquinone. The splittings between two nrt* states, both for singlet and triplet, are shown to be very small confirming recent experimental results. A lower lying ~rTr* triplet state (aBz.) has been thereby assigned. The photoelectron spectra (PES) for the low-energy ionization region have been assigned. Contrary to the MO ordering, 2b3g(Tr.), lbtg(~g), 4b3g(n~), 5b:u(n.), the CI result predicts that the four first PES bands may be assigned to ~B3g(ng), 2B~u(n.), ~B3. (~.) and 2Blg(lrg) in order of increasing energy.