We are pleased to share that David A. Altro was asked to prepare an article for SnowbirdAdvisor.ca, which was published in February 2018. Their article titled “Know these essential rules for how long Canadian snowbirds can stay in the U.S.” reviews two common misconceptions about the rules surrounding the number of days Canadians can spend in the US per year. The article discusses the US immigration rules, the IRS tax rules, provincial health care coverage and more.
To read the article you can see it in part below, or click here to view it on the Snowbird Advisor website.
Know These Essential Rules for How Long Canadian Snowbirds Can Stay in the U.S.
David A. Altro
SnowbirdAdvisor.ca
February 2018
For Canadian snowbirds who spend their winters in the U.S., it is vital to correctly keep track of how much time you spend in the United States and comply with the applicable tax and immigration rules.
Failure to do so can have a number of severe consequences, including extremely negative tax implications, deportation and being denied future entry to the United States.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation circulating about what these rules are and how to comply with them. For many Canadian snowbirds who rely on inaccurate information, it’s usually too late by the time they realize it’s wrong and the damage has been done.
That’s why it’s important to make sure the information you rely on is accurate and from a reliable source right from the start.
Below is a general overview of the rules around counting how many days you can spend in the U.S. as a Canadian snowbird, as well as some of the common misconceptions that are out there. It’s always a good idea to speak to a qualified tax or legal advisor who specializes in cross border matters to see how these rules apply to your unique situation.
Common Misconception #1: “There is only one formula Canadian snowbirds need to consider when counting how many days they can spend in the U.S.”
Many snowbirds are under the false impression that they only need to use one formula when counting the number of days they spend in the United States. In fact, there are two separate formulas Canadians must comply with – one for immigration purposes and one for tax purposes.