Canadian tax softeware and my US husband

[neiks 19]

Ok, so I'm doing my taxes with the Canadian tax software. I have said I am married and I have one dependant (I am claiming our son) Now, it wants my spouses info - Name, SIN, Income, child tax benefit income. What do I do here? He is not a Canadian resident and is not filing a Canadian tax return as he has no ties to Canada other than marrying me. Do I leave it blank? Do I put in his name and income? I'm kind of at a lose - it makes a huge difference if I put him in compared to if I don't. He has a lower net income but he won't be claiming those credits as he won't be filing a Canadian tax return. Help!!!!!

[misa 2]

What I did was I put in his U.S. income so the application would know that I would NOT be claiming the spouse credit. If you leave it blank, it will give you the spouse credit. I ended up redoing the T1 General with the figures generated by the tax application so I could write in "US Citizen" and a note that his income stated is U.S. and that we were NOT filing jointly. The other sheets generated I put into the package with the new TI General form.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Thats what I did as well. I phoned revenue Canada and thats what they said as well!! As wel I wrote a quick cover letter stating my wife was a USA citizen and has never resided in canada.

[zyggy 9]

Just like they said, you have to write US Citizen in the blanks..

Also, neiks, you have to file your T1 as a Leaving Canada return at the International Tax Services Office. All your returns from here on out will be Non-resident returns also filed at the International Tax Services Office (since she still works in Canada)

Edited April 17, 2007 by zyggy

[TRKCKL11 0]

hi i did my taxes using revenue canadas program(sister works there) you just need spouses name and you must fill out schedule 5 i never put anything about his citizenship. all was fine.only place they want to know is GST you need to send them a letter stating marriage to a non resident. hope this helps.

[neiks 19]

What I did was I put in his U.S. income so the application would know that I would NOT be claiming the spouse credit. If you leave it blank, it will give you the spouse credit. I ended up redoing the T1 General with the figures generated by the tax application so I could write in "US Citizen" and a note that his income stated is U.S. and that we were NOT filing jointly. The other sheets generated I put into the package with the new TI General form.

Damn, when I don't put in my husbands income, that spousal credit gave me approx $2000 more returned. Would that credit make that much of a difference?

Also, neiks, you have to file your T1 as a Leaving Canada return at the International Tax Services Office

Zyggy, you mean once I get my GC and on my 2007 return? B/c right now I'm still a Canadian resident for 2006.

[zyggy 9]

What I did was I put in his U.S. income so the application would know that I would NOT be claiming the spouse credit. If you leave it blank, it will give you the spouse credit. I ended up redoing the T1 General with the figures generated by the tax application so I could write in "US Citizen" and a note that his income stated is U.S. and that we were NOT filing jointly. The other sheets generated I put into the package with the new TI General form.

Damn, when I don't put in my husbands income, that spousal credit gave me approx $2000 more returned. Would that credit make that much of a difference?

Also, neiks, you have to file your T1 as a Leaving Canada return at the International Tax Services Office

Zyggy, you mean once I get my GC and on my 2007 return? B/c right now I'm still a Canadian resident for 2006.

Oh okay.. I thought you had crossed and gotten your GC by now... but yes, the year that you leave Canada, you'll have to file a Leaving Canada return. If you're going to continue to work in Canada, you need to file subsequent Non-resident returns to Canada.

[misa 2]

What I did was I put in his U.S. income so the application would know that I would NOT be claiming the spouse credit. If you leave it blank, it will give you the spouse credit. I ended up redoing the T1 General with the figures generated by the tax application so I could write in "US Citizen" and a note that his income stated is U.S. and that we were NOT filing jointly. The other sheets generated I put into the package with the new TI General form.

Damn, when I don't put in my husbands income, that spousal credit gave me approx $2000 more returned. Would that credit make that much of a difference?

Makes a huge difference. When I left the spouse income blank, it gave me a spouse credit and whatever other calculations and my refund was over $2,000 which I know is wrong since I'm not claiming him at all. So I put in his U.S. income and didn't give me the spouse credit and my refund is $190 which is correct.

I also called Revenue Canada (the international tax office) and asked them where I'm sending my return and if I do anything differently. See, I only left Canada a month ago so my 2006 taxes are completely Ontario-based. They told me to send to Sudbury this year (even if I have a foreign address now because as of December 31, 2006 I was still an Ontario resident) and that 2007 would be different. Hope the person I spoke to was correct since I mailed off my taxes yesterday!