Connecting to other CDNs who moved to the U.S.

[SpiritAlight 1]

Hello Wonder-Full VJers,

I was googling if there may be any Canada Day festivities in Chi-town, because some of you mentioned ones in your cities, and came across this:

http://www.connect2canada.com/

from here.

My question to any of you Cannuckies: have you registered or notified or done anything with our birth country since you moved to the U.S.?

Hmmmm...what to do...is there a benefit?

Is it to keep track of us?

As it is I wonder what the Canadian government has on file for me.

I have lived mostly off the grid and travelled lots back and forth to the U.S. over the past few years (with the exception of my K1 year, grrrrr, oops I am digressing); and only when I crossed the border (driving) 2 weeks ago, did I hand over my CDN passport and said I was living in the U.S.

Do they keep this logged?

Where does it go?

Hmmmm....

Let's say I visited at least twice a year, would i still be considered a CDN resident?

Yes inquiring minds, indeed.

[Marilyn. 340]

yeah I joined that site a few years ago... I got an email from a few people, one I still kind of keep in contact with... she lives in the LA area too.. we have never met in person or anything though...

[SpiritAlight 1]

Thanks *Marilyn*.

I am left wondering if some official type of notification needs to be done with the CDN government...that we have moved out of the country...

Edited June 25, 2008 by SpiritAlight

[Cassie 8]

I had to fill out a form declaring that I was no longer a Canadian resident when I filed my last set of Canadian income tax forms.

You're not still considered a Canadian resident if you are only visiting twice a year.

[Marilyn. 340]

not really..

when I filed my last tax return I was living in the US so I had to send it off to a different place..

but I don't remember sending of anything official to anybody else to let them know I was moving..

[trailmix 77]

Nothing official required, when you file your tax return and submit it with the date you left Canada, then they will know. On the other hand if you aren't submitting a tax return, they don't really care

[SpiritAlight 1]

Thanks Cassie.

Being that I have not lived a usual life, ahem...for example I resided in various boats and house-sat (at times), and so have not had a fixed address in over a decade.

So, I do not get what the implications are.

If I went and got a place to live in BC, and found work, and the company collected income tax from me, I'd be on paper.

As it is I have not been...hence my question.

I doubt I would "quit" that country anyways.

Hee, hee.

Nothing official required, when you file your tax return and submit it with the date you left Canada, then they will know. On the other hand if you aren't submitting a tax return, they don't really care

Oh

I seeeeeeeee.....okay I get it.

Thanks Trailmix.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

So I don't need to notify anyone that I'm leaving?

[Marilyn. 340]

you can officially renounce your Canadian citizenship but why would anyone want to do that?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yeah, I joined that about 3 1/2 years ago. It is a useful site:-). Spirit, when you file your taxes for the year you move to the States you declare the date you officially leave Canada for US residence. That is probably as official as it gets. You do need to notify the various Federal departments (ie. CPP, CRA, etc.) with whom you have ongoing business as well as any Provincial ministries (ie Health, etc.) but there isn't a generic address to 'inform' Canada that you are no longer living there. You cannot be a resident of Canada, btw, even if you 'check in' every 6 months, and still be a resident of the US. If US believes you are still a Canadian resident then your US residency is canceled. If Canada believes you are still a Canadian resident then you need to continue to file Canadian income tax - which again would negate your US residency. Unfortunately, it is an either/or situation.

I have met other Canadians here, yes - Joel and Karen from this list - as well as being in contact with other Canadians from the list although we haven't officially met. I have also met some through activities sponsored by the Canadian Consulate in Atlanta. I am always up to meet more!

[SpiritAlight 1]

Oh no no no...there will no such renouncements.

Ha!

[Marilyn. 340]

So I don't need to notify anyone that I'm leaving?

maybe your family and friends ... just teasin...

not really....

just make sure and cancel your GST and any other tax credits you might be getting.. as they will want that money back if you are collecting it once you move to the US.....

[SpiritAlight 1]

Yeah, I joined that about 3 1/2 years ago. It is a useful site:-). Spirit, when you file your taxes for the year you move to the States you declare the date you officially leave Canada for US residence. That is probably as official as it gets. You do need to notify the various Federal departments (ie. CPP, CRA, etc.) with whom you have ongoing business as well as any Provincial ministries (ie Health, etc.) but there isn't a generic address to 'inform' Canada that you are no longer living there. You cannot be a resident of Canada, btw, even if you 'check in' every 6 months, and still be a resident of the US. If US believes you are still a Canadian resident then your US residency is canceled. If Canada believes you are still a Canadian resident then you need to continue to file Canadian income tax - which again would negate your US residency. Unfortunately, it is an either/or situation.

I have met other Canadians here, yes - Joel and Karen from this list - as well as being in contact with other Canadians from the list although we haven't officially met. I have also met some through activities sponsored by the Canadian Consulate in Atlanta. I am always up to meet more!

I am indeed a special case then.

Bah...yes, pun intended.

The last time I did my taxes, I did them for 5 years all together.

They owed me money.

And when that us going on they really don't care if you do them or not.

So, I am not planning on taking care of that anytime soon.

And as it is, I worked a tiny bit of freelance in this last year, and so it is not worth my trouble nor their trouble.

I see how you get logged now.

Perhaps my drive North did that anyways now.

I don't know.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

So I don't need to notify anyone that I'm leaving?

maybe your family and friends ... just teasin...

not really....

just make sure and cancel your GST and any other tax credits you might be getting.. as they will want that money back if you are collecting it once you move to the US.....

Wouldn't that just end when I quit my job?

[Flames9_RN 358]

there is a form one CAN (does not have to) fill out, I can't think of it off the top of my head, but Im sure Cassie will chirp in with its name,lol I didnt fill it out, and from a few other tax forums I visited in the past, they said dont bother filling it out, but Cassie's tax dude said it should be filled out. On your Canadian income tax, there is a spot on the front page that asks when you ceased to be a Cdn resident, and thats all I did. There is a place on the Canadian gov't webpage that you can register and place your new american address. To do that, one requires some information from your past Cdn income tax papers (asks for an $$ amount from a certain line #) Very easy process. http://www.canada.gc.ca/MGA-MDG/intro-eng.html Epass is the name!!