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Based on my experience as a dual US-Canadian citizen running a business, consider establishing a Canadian corporation if you're planning to stay in Canada long-term. Here's why: - Canadian corporate tax rates can be very favorable for small businesses (as low as 9% federal + provincial on the first $500K of active business income) - You can defer personal taxation by keeping money in the corporation - You still need to file US taxes as a citizen, but can use foreign tax credits - Your wife, as a non-US person, can receive dividends from the Canadian corporation that may not be subject to US taxation The downside is compliance costs - you'll need to file US FBAR, Form 5471 (for foreign corporations), and possibly deal with GILTI tax. But overall, the tax savings often outweigh these costs.
Nia Harris
ā¢Do you have to worry about CFC (Controlled Foreign Corporation) rules with the Canadian corporation approach? I heard those can be complicated for US citizens.
Yes, CFC rules definitely come into play, particularly the GILTI (Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income) provisions from the 2017 tax reform. These rules can cause immediate US taxation on certain types of income earned through your Canadian corporation. However, with proper planning, you can often manage these effectively. For consulting businesses, you may qualify for the high-tax exception if Canadian corporate taxes exceed 18.9% (90% of the US corporate rate). Also, you can make a "962 election" on your US return to apply foreign tax credits against GILTI tax. It's complex but can be navigated with good advice.
Just a warning from someone who went through this - don't forget about Social Security! As a US citizen in Canada, you'll be covered by the US-Canada totalization agreement. This determines which country's social security system you pay into. Generally, if you're self-employed and residing in Canada, you'd pay into the Canadian system (CPP) and be exempt from US self-employment tax. You need to get a certificate of coverage from the Canadian authorities to claim this exemption. This saved me about $15K in US self-employment taxes my first year abroad that my first accountant missed!
Aisha Ali
ā¢Is there a specific form you need to file to claim that exemption from self-employment tax? I've been paying both US and Canadian retirement contributions and now I'm wondering if I've been doing it wrong.
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Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for a situation like this? I'm in a similar boat (moved from Illinois to Tennessee mid-year) and wondering if their software handles part-year state returns well.
Demi Hall
ā¢Yeah I used FreeTaxUSA last year for a move from Washington to Texas. It worked fine for me but both states don't have income tax so it was pretty simple. I think they do handle part-year state returns but not sure how good they are with the more complicated situations.
One thing I learned from my move from Oregon to Washington - keep EVERY document related to your move. I got audited by Oregon 2 years after moving and had to prove I really moved. Save your moving receipts, lease/purchase documents, utility hookups, everything. States like CA and NY are super aggressive about going after people who moved to no-tax states.
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One thing that nobody has mentioned is that the Social Security tax and Medicare tax don't apply to unearned income, even for kids. So if your child only has dividends and capital gains, they don't pay those taxes. But if they have both earned income (like babysitting, modeling, etc.) and unearned income, the earned portion is still subject to those taxes if they earn enough. I think the threshold is around $400 for self-employment. The IRS Publication 929 explains all this, but it's written in classic IRS language (i.e., nearly incomprehensible).
ThunderBolt7
ā¢What happens if my kid has both types of income but we elect to include it on our return? Do we still have to pay the SE taxes on their earned income?
If you include your child's income on your return using Form 8814, you can only do this for their unearned income (investments, interest, dividends, capital gains). For any earned income (like from a job or self-employment), your child must file their own return regardless. So yes, if they had self-employment income over the threshold (about $400), they would still need to file a separate return for that portion and pay the applicable SE taxes.
Does anyone know if 529 plan distributions count as unearned income for Kiddie Tax purposes? My son is using some 529 money for his senior year of high school (for qualified expenses) and also has some dividend income from a UTMA account.
Mei Chen
ā¢Qualified 529 distributions used for educational expenses aren't counted as income at all (neither earned nor unearned), so they won't affect Kiddie Tax calculations. Only if the distribution isn't used for qualified expenses would it potentially count toward the Kiddie Tax thresholds.
Thanks so much for clarifying! That's a relief to know the qualified 529 distributions won't complicate his tax situation. Now I just need to figure out how to handle the dividend income properly.
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CosmicCowboy
I moved to Thailand 3 years ago and yes, the US still taxes me on worldwide income. But there are some strategies that help: 1. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) lets you exclude up to about $120k of EARNED income (like salary), but doesn't help with investments 2. If you live somewhere with income tax (unlike Caymans), foreign tax credits can offset what you pay to US 3. Consider tax-advantaged accounts for investments (Roth IRA, etc.) 4. Some people restructure investments to be more tax-efficient Whatever you do, don't try hiding anything. The US has info sharing agreements with most countries including tax havens.
I heard some expats are going heavy into crypto to avoid reporting but that seems super risky. Isn't the IRS cracking down on that now?
CosmicCowboy
ā¢Using crypto to avoid reporting is an absolutely terrible idea. The IRS has massively increased enforcement in this area. Crypto exchanges are now required to report transactions, blockchain analytics are getting more sophisticated, and the penalties for willful non-compliance can include criminal charges. Remember that crypto transactions (including trading one crypto for another) are taxable events. The IRS considers crypto to be property, not currency, so each transaction can trigger capital gains tax. Some people mistakenly think crypto is "invisible" but that's becoming less true every year as reporting requirements expand.
Javier Cruz
I moved to Malta last year and my biggest shock was learning about the Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) rules. If you invest in non-US mutual funds or ETFs while abroad, the tax treatment is BRUTAL. Seriously OP, if you're moving to Caymans, keep your investments in US-domiciled funds only. The paperwork and tax rate on foreign funds is insane - like 37% + interest on gains.
Whoa I had no idea about this! Is this true even for index funds that just follow something like the S&P 500 but are based in another country? This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder if the hassle is worth it...
Max Knight
From my experience, if you e-filed and are getting direct deposit, you should have your refund within 3 weeks max unless there's an issue with your return. Have you checked your tax transcript on the IRS website? That usually shows more detailed info than the Where's My Refund tool. Also, if you claimed certain credits like the Earned Income Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, or Recovery Rebate Credit, the IRS automatically holds those returns for additional review - no matter how perfect your return is. This is for fraud prevention.
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Ella Lewis
ā¢I tried to check my transcript but the IRS site keeps giving me an error when I try to create an account. Something about not being able to verify my phone number? Is there another way to check the transcript?
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Max Knight
ā¢Yes, the IRS identity verification system can be frustrating! If you can't verify online, you can request your transcript by mail using Form 4506-T, but that obviously takes time. Another option is to call the IRS transcript request line at 800-908-9946. It's automated and separate from the main IRS line, so sometimes it's easier to get through. They can mail you a transcript, which will at least show what's happening with your return.
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Emma Swift
Does anyone know if tax refunds are coming slower this year in general? I filed on Jan 29 and still waiting while last year I got my refund in like 10 days?
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Isabella Tucker
ā¢I filed Feb 1st and got my refund on Feb 18th, so about 2.5 weeks. My sister filed a week before me and got hers in 12 days. I think it really depends on the complexity of your return and whether you have certain credits or deductions that trigger extra review.
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Emma Swift
ā¢Thanks for sharing your timeline! Maybe mine is just taking longer because I have a home business this year with Schedule C stuff. Guess I'll try to be more patient!
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