PR-American Filing US Taxes from Canada

[carr1]

This may be a bit off topic but you all seem like you understand the tax laws better than me so I'm wondering if I need to file US taxes for 2015?

I'm a US citizen that lived in Canada, with my Canadian husband, all of 2015 on a VR, I didn't make any money in Canada or the US. I did pay for US healthcare all of 2015 ($456.00 US per month). I'm clueless what I need to do if anything. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. Thanks!!

 

[CDNPR2014]

This may be a bit off topic but you all seem like you understand the tax laws better than me so I'm wondering if I need to file US taxes for 2015?

I'm a US citizen that lived in Canada, with my Canadian husband, all of 2015 on a VR, I didn't make any money in Canada or the US. I did pay for US healthcare all of 2015 ($456.00 US per month). I'm clueless what I need to do if anything. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. Thanks!!

hahaha... yeah, as a us citizen, it is your duty to file taxes every year of your life no matter where in the world you live. it is one of our "privileges" of our citizenship. fun, huh? or should i say, eh?

if you didn't have any us income for 2015, then you need to submit a 1040 and the health form. you can mail this in to the irs yourself. i'm not sure what the health form number is, so either google, the irs website or someone else can elaborate. i just found out about it myself. i'm guessing since you had 0 income from canada too, then you don't need to submit foreign income form. there is some info online for filing taxes as an expat.

 

[carr1]

hahaha... yeah, as a us citizen, it is your duty to file taxes every year of your life no matter where in the world you live. it is one of our "privileges" of our citizenship. fun, huh? or should i say, eh?

if you didn't have any us income for 2015, then you need to submit a 1040 and the health form. you can mail this in to the irs yourself. i'm not sure what the health form number is, so either google, the irs website or someone else can elaborate. i just found out about it myself. i'm guessing since you had 0 income from canada too, then you don't need to submit foreign income form. there is some info online for filing taxes as an expat.

I figured the tax guy we talked to was wrong! Thanks so much for the info! I'll look at the IRS site and get the forms and mail them off next week.
Apparently I'll file US taxes until I die

 

[screech339]

I figured the tax guy we talked to was wrong! Thanks so much for the info! I'll look at the IRS site and get the forms and mail them off next week.
Apparently I'll file US taxes until I die

Or when you formally renounce US citizenship, whichever comes first.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I figured the tax guy we talked to was wrong! Thanks so much for the info! I'll look at the IRS site and get the forms and mail them off next week.
Apparently I'll file US taxes until I die

ps... as non residents i have been told we automatically get an extension for filing until june. i assumed we had to apply for this, but it seems we dont.

 

[carr1]

ps... as non residents i have been told we automatically get an extension for filing until june. i assumed we had to apply for this, but it seems we dont.

Really? Nice! Thanks so much for everything.

 

[CDNPR2014]

i have a question that's a bit more off topic that maybe a senior member can answer.

how does it work with social security as an expat? i'm assuming we don't pay into it while not living in the states, unless i'm missing something on my taxes?

if i'm not going to be paying into from canada, then will i still be able to get it when i'm older (assuming there's any left) and if so, is the amount based on what i've paid into it? or does it not matter?

 

[keesio]

I think you're referring to the old rules for RRSP reporting (which have been eliminated) that many assumed also applied to other registered savings. I don't know about RESPs, but for TFSAs at least, there is no reason it should. The forms in question relate to "foreign trusts", and a TFSA certainly does not need to be a trust. Most are basic savings accounts.

Last I checked, the IRS simply lumped all TFSA as a trust and required the 3520/3520a forums for it, even if the TFSA is just a basic savings account. That is why most Americans (including myself) don't bother with a TFSA. Also, Canadian mutual funds are classified as.. something (I can't remember what exactly) so it is recommend to avoid those except for the ones inside your RRSP

 

[Aquakitty]

I figured the tax guy we talked to was wrong! Thanks so much for the info! I'll look at the IRS site and get the forms and mail them off next week.
Apparently I'll file US taxes until I die

Actually US citizens don't always have to file taxes if they make under a certain amount. Here is a handy chart: http://www.efile.com/tax/do-i-need-to-file-a-tax-return/#income-requirements

 

[Alurra71]

i have a question that's a bit more off topic that maybe a senior member can answer.

how does it work with social security as an expat? i'm assuming we don't pay into it while not living in the states, unless i'm missing something on my taxes?

if i'm not going to be paying into from canada, then will i still be able to get it when i'm older (assuming there's any left) and if so, is the amount based on what i've paid into it? or does it not matter?

The credits you have accumulated in the US will transfer over to Canada when you are ready to retire, or vice versa, wherever you live at that time. You can only collect from one or the other now, unlike it used to be years ago where you could collect from both since you paid into both.

Anyway, they share the information so your earned credits toward social security in the US will translate here in Canada, if you want them to, when its time to retire.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Actually US citizens don't always have to file taxes if they make under a certain amount. Here is a handy chart: http://www.efile.com/tax/do-i-need-to-file-a-tax-return/#income-requirements

awesome info. thanks for posting! guess that means carr's accountant was correct and probably doesn't have to file.

The credits you have accumulated in the US will transfer over to Canada when you are ready to retire, or vice versa, wherever you live at that time. You can only collect from one or the other now, unlike it used to be years ago where you could collect from both since you paid into both.

Anyway, they share the information so your earned credits toward social security in the US will translate here in Canada, if you want them to, when its time to retire.

that makes sense. thanks! bummer we can't collect on both, but whatevs...

 

[carr1]

Actually US citizens don't always have to file taxes if they make under a certain amount. Here is a handy chart: http://www.efile.com/tax/do-i-need-to-file-a-tax-return/#income-requirements

Oh nice! Thanks so much! I never even thought of all these tax things when deciding to move to Canada, maybe I had so much else on my mind

Would paying for Cobra health insurance coverage all year let me get any tax credits in the US so maybe I should file? I'm not paying for any health care in the US in 2016 since my husbands insurance let me on his plan before I got PR starting in January.

 

[nmclean]

Last I checked, the IRS simply lumped all TFSA as a trust and required the 3520/3520a forums for it, even if the TFSA is just a basic savings account. That is why most Americans (including myself) don't bother with a TFSA. Also, Canadian mutual funds are classified as.. something (I can't remember what exactly) so it is recommend to avoid those except for the ones inside your RRSP

The IRS has never lumped TFSAs as anything specific. The only time they even mention TFSAs is in the FBAR guide as a general example of a "Financial Account". According to US Treasury Regulations, a TFSA is not a trust. Canadian mutual funds should be avoided in most cases, but a regular TFSA is fine.

 

[Ponga]

ps... as non residents i have been told we automatically get an extension for filing until june. i assumed we had to apply for this, but it seems we dont.

Correct. Those living abroad have until June 15th to file, but any taxes due need to be paid by April 15th.

 

[Pakster84]

Another question for everyone. I stayed in Canada as a tourist (January 2015) until I received my PR (april 2015). I did not work in the US for the 2015 taxable year, but started working in Canada in Aug 2015. Am I even eligible to fill out the 2555-EZ form? and if not...is the only form I need to send is the 1040?