I am Canadian now. I have some questions.

[RadiationTherapy]

My mother is Quebecois and moved to America with her family at age 11. She became an American citizen when I was 13. Due to a citizenship law passed in 2007, my brother and I were able to claim our Canadian citizenship for the first time. We now have our ID cards and the full rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship and are dual citizens. I am married and have a bright, wonderful 9.5 year old daughter. My questions are:

- Do I pay taxes as a Canadian working in America? Do I pay taxes to both?

- My daughter is finishing 3rd grade. Any advice on a suitable age to drastically alter her life and education by moving?

- My wife and I are in our 30s. How long do we take to move to Canada? We are accomplishing goals here where we are and may stay as long as 5 years more.


Any advice from anyone is welcome. The second two questions especially can be seen from many different angles.

Thanks for contributing!

[ret5hd]

1. Is this some of that "pretentious on purpose" stuff?

[RadiationTherapy]

2. *stumped*

Clue?

[grasswire]

3. Hey! I qualified under a similar law passed in 2009.

The 2009 law grants citizenship to children born of Canadian citizens outside Canada. My father was a Canadian and I was born in the U.S. and have lived here always.

I still have to file for the certificate. But I can tell you that you can find answers to your questions through google.

You do not pay taxes to both countries, IIRC.

I look forward to having a Canadian passport.

[kenny blankenship]

4. This belongs in the Canada Forum

[grasswire]

5. mmm you might want to check about your daughter's status

Have you looked into her citizenship status? It's my understanding that the law does not extend citizenship to the second generation. I'm not sure that she has Canadian citizenship simply because of your new status.

[RadiationTherapy]

7. It definitley does not confer citizenship on her.

I would have to 'sponsor' her. Not sure what that means if she is my under-aged daughter when I move there.

[sharp_stick]

10. Your daughter

can move with you anywhere you want to go until she reaches 18 years of age.

[grasswire]

16. there is a forum for "lost Canadians"...

...that has links to many many sources of information and a forum for discussion as well.


http://www.lostcanadians.org/forum

[RadiationTherapy]

18. Hey! Merci Bookoops, huh!

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. My mom was a Canadian citizen, and thus so am I.

She died in 1994 and I'm having a hard time finding her birth certificate so that I can get my ID card.

I'm no tax expert, but I don't think that you need to pay Canadian taxes if you lived and worked the whole year in the US.

I have no plans to move to Canada, but one never knows, does one?

[grasswire]

9. hey, another one!

The Ontario archives were GREAT at getting me a copy of my father's birth certificate. Very fast and efficient.

So I suggest that you locate the provincial offices for her birth area and phone them. You need the date, of course.

[sharp_stick]

8. You don't pay

Canadian taxes unless you are earning money in Canada.

I would wait until your daughter would be moving to a new school before moving just to make the stress a little less.

[RadiationTherapy]

14. Thank you for the information and insight.

I moved very very often as a kid and I am suspicious of how it affected me over the years.

[SidDithers]

11. About Canadian schools...

Canadian schools are usually k-8, then 9-12
Sometimes there's a separate middle school for grades 7&8, before high school.

Kids, I think, adapt more easily when they're younger. It might be easier to be "the new kid" in grade 5, than as a freshman in High School.

Sid

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SidDithers]

13. ...

Sid

[hfojvt]

15. take off!!

but don't forget your toque (sp?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot70G4wSQi0

[grasswire]

17. have you ever seen the movie "Strange Brew"

You might like it.

[SidDithers]

19. Another good one is "The Canadian Conspiracy"...

it's a bit dated now, but still pretty funny.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5ED827D8DAE19B2A

Sid

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. "now leave Canada please."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qr9yNRJD1Y

[slackmaster]

20. Wait a minute. You claimed your Canadian citizenship before knowing the answers to those questions?

:argh:

[gkhouston]

21. Good point. I'd suggest moving to Newfoundland. n/t

[grasswire]

23. Are you mocking Newfies?

Why do Canadians make fun of Newfies?

[gkhouston]

26. Ask a Canadian. n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

24. The law made him a Canadian citizen.

the ID card is simply proof.

[RadiationTherapy]

28. I received ID and proof thereof.

I am sorry my uninformed citizenry induced an animated temper tantrum.

[Nye Bevan]

22. As a US citizen, you owe US Federal Income tax on your entire, worldwide income

regardless of where you are living and working. So this applies even if you are living and working in Canada.

I don't *think* you owe Canadian income tax while living and working in the US but I am not certain of this

You *are* allowed a credit on your US tax bill for foreign taxes paid (including Canadian taxes), with certain limitations. Please consult a qualified professional for details.

[RadiationTherapy]

27. Thank you.