American Marrying
a Canadian

 

Many of our American clients plan a move to Canada after meeting a Canadian partner whom they plan to marry. Perhaps their soon-to-be Canadian spouse has a work situation that is difficult to leave behind, so it makes more sense for the American spouse to move to Canada, or perhaps moving to Canada is an appealing lifestyle choice due to Canada’s peaceful, liberal nature.

Regardless of the specific reason, Americans who plan to move to Canada after marrying Canadians typically have similar concerns. Often, questions arise regarding the immigration process and path to citizenship, how to access Canada’s health care system, how US Social Security payments will be affected, and what to do with Individual Retirement Arrangements (“IRAs”), Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(bs), 457(b)s and other American assets.

Cross-border tax questions are also primary. Many Americans are familiar with the fact that the US taxes its citizens and permanent residents on their worldwide income, regardless of residency. Americans who move to Canada for marriage want to make sure that they are not caught in any cross-border tax traps, particularly if they have US business holdings or a US investment portfolio.

As the above questions illustrate, making the decision to move to Canada necessitates careful pre-departure tax, estate, retirement, investment, and immigration planning. Keep reading for more information about these cross-border financial planning topics as they apply to Americans marrying Canadians. Please note that the topics covered below require detailed, comprehensive analysis before specific recommendations can be made to an individual client, which is the purpose of creating a cross-border financial plan prior to departure.

 

Explanation of US System
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Tax Issues for US Business Interests/Corporations
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Tax Traps for Americans Living in Canada
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Tax Residency

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Situs Wills, Trusts, and Power of Attorney Documents

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US Estate Tax and Gifting

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Blended Families

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Cash Flow Planning

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Canadian and US Pension Plans

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US Retirement Accounts and RRSP Withdrawals

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US Medicare

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The Canadian Health Care System

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Universal Life Insurance Policies

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Sponsorship

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