Please tell me your consultation fee...

Dear David,

My husband, Canadian citizen born 1945 in Quebec, Canada, moved to NYC and worked there 7 years.  Returned to Quebec, Canada for 18 years.  Moved back to US and has worked here 16 years now.  We live in US and are both US Citizens.

xxxxx just turned 65 and is ready to apply for SSI, CPP, QPP and OAS, but we're confused and want to be crystal clear about his pension options and all the tax implications.

Do you offer phone consultations?  What is your fee?

Many thanks,

david ingram replies:

He should just put his applications in.  Social security will  use the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) to reduce his Social security because he has not put in 30 years of Social security contributions. 

However, he did put in over 20 years of life in canada after turning 65 so he can take a proportional OAS with him to the USA.  His Quebec Pension Plan will also be prorated by 25/40 times what ever his pension would have been if he had put in 40 years.

He has to tell US social security that he is entitled to the Quebec Pension and OAS and he has to tell the QPP that he is getting the Social security. 

The Social security administration and the QPP will  then figure it out.

The WEP clawback of Social security is not just a US Canada situation either.  If a School teacher taught in Florida for 20 years and Oklahoma for 20 years, they would also suffer under WEP.  WEP takes into account the years that someone worked but did not contribute to Social security because they worked at an occupation which was not covered because an employer group, a religious organization or in your husband's case, another country had a program of their own.  In this case, Florida Teachers belong to a State retirement system and do not pay into social security. Oklahoma teachers do pay social security.


An explanation of WEP and its rationale can be found at

 http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10045.html
-----------------------------------------------------------
If your question was not answered fully or you wish to go further, I am available for individual consultations by phone or email or in person for $450 per professional hour. 

Please also note that we prepare Canadian, US, Australian, UK and New Zealand returns on a mail in, email, fax, snail mail or couriered basis. At any time, our clients are in 40 countries or more.  They have every occupation from nuclear Submarine captains to FedEx pilots to Major Bank officers to Politicians, Diplomats and border patrol officers.  My favourite, however, is a penguin catcher in Antarctica among others there..

If you 'really' only have a single question requiring a 'couple' of minutes, you can try phoning me for free as part of the following.

- For a quick free question


You might try calling Fred Snyder's radio program for an answer on a Sunday Morning.. 

Fred Snyder's  "IT'S YOUR MONEY" radio show. on CISL,  650 AM on the dial in Vancouver from 9 to 11:00 AM every Sunday  (604) 280-0650 or (877) 280-0650 - You can listen live from anywhere in the world at www.am650radio.com from anywhere in the world. click on the button in the top left hand corner.-
- You might try calling Fred Snyder's weekly radio programs for an answer.