QUESTION:
We are both born Canadian, married with 2 children under the age of 6. My
husband has been offered a (we hope to stay no longer than 5 years) job in
Tucson. He is to go ahead and check things out for a minimum of 6 months.
If all is well, we will follow. We currently live in Alberta. Should we
sell our home in Alberta? and if we purchase a house in the States what are
the tax implications? We do not want to give up our canadian citizenship -
do we have to apply for american citizenship if we are to stay in the States
for 5 years? I'm having difficulty finding information on just moving to the
States for a period of time and then returning to Canada. Can you direct
me? Thanking you in advance, XXXXX.
=========================================================
david ingram replies:
You are moving safely and with forethought but six months from now, you will
be faced with the decision anyway.
My advice is to keep your house and rent it out. That way if you do come
back to Albert, you will have a real estate base at the price of the area
you are living in now.
If you can swing it and will be in Arizona for 5 years, I recommend that you
buy there as well.
You will need to sit down and really look at the financing possibilities.
If you should be lucky enough that your husband gets green (resident alien)
cards for the family and you do get American Citizenship, you will NOT lose
your Canadian citizenship unless you specifically go to a Canadian Embassy
or Consulate, fill out a Loooonnnngg Form and renounce your citizenship in
front of a Canadian Consular Officer
The advantage of a green card and / or US citizenship is that "you" can work
as well. Of course, if you have a profession or your own, you may qualify
to work under your own TN, or H visa. AND, if your husband has been
transferred to Phoenix under an L-1 visa, relatively new provisions allow
the spouse )that's you) to work.
Going to www.centa.com and reading the two sections on "US / Canada
Taxation" and "Entering the US" might help you as well.
You and your husband should likely book an hour of my time together get the
lowdown. I find that the company consultants sometimes paint too rosy a
picture.
Hope this helps and remember
Answers to this and other similar questions can be obtained free on Air
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Every Sunday at 9:00 AM on 600AM in Vancouver, I, david ingram am a
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