BirdTalk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk 2: Again, something new arising from a chiropractic treatment IS covered, but Medipac would look to the chiropractor for reimbursement if it was caused by their treatment. Medipac still pays your claim first; 3: YES; Medipac encourages you to donate blood to help others. Please note that these answers only apply to a Medipac policy. Please call your insurance company if you are insured elsewhere. Dear Bird Talk, I am a Canadian citizen, but a non-resident of Canada – I currently live in Europe, where my wife is currently employed. I do have two properties in Florida that I rent out on an annual basis and I have been filing U.S. income tax returns since I purchased them. I have heard through the grapevine that I am required to report worldwide income to the IRS when filing? Is this correct? Please advise. Chris Phinney Glouchester, ON Ed.: The grapevine is incorrect. You must file a U.S. tax return if you earn more than $750 in the United States. You have been doing this, so you are fine. If you were a resident of the United States then, indeed, you must pay tax on your worldwide income. If you spend extended periods of time in the U.S., I would also file a Form 8840 even though you reside in Europe. Dear Bird Talk, A further question about your response in the winter 2017 issue: “if you earn ANY income in the United States, you are required to file a U.S. tax return. This includes rental income for leasing your condo or park model as well.” Does this apply to income earned from investments in the stock market – even when the investor has never set foot in the U.S.? Linda Charest Sherwood Park, AB Ed.: Income earned from investments in the stock market through a Canadian broker, even though in U.S. stocks, does not need to be reported to the U.S. As well, bank interest earned in the U.S. need not be reported in the U.S. Dear Bird Talk, I just received the 2018 AmericanCommunity Survey as part of the 2018U.S. Census. Anyone who “stays” here for more than two months is required by U.S. federal law to complete the form. I have begun to answer it online, but I’m finding the questions to be very invasive and certainly requesting muchmore personal and financial information than I feel comfortable providing. Any insight into our obligation as Canadian citizens to complete this U.S. census?There are significant fines associated with not responding. Thank you. Marilyn Barber Aurora, ON Ed.: We asked Wallace Weylie, CSA’s lawyer what he thought and he replied, “The Survey Instructions say “DO NOT INCLUDE anyone who is living somewhere else for more than two months, such as a college student living away or someone in the armed forces on deployment.” Thus, I would suggest that there is no obligation for a Canadian snowbird to complete the form. This is the position we took at the last census.” Mr. Weylie was a member of the part-time census staff during the last census, so I would trust his comments. Dear Bird Talk, Any day that you are not in the U.S. for 24 hours (i.e. the day you enter and exit) does not count against your 183? Betty Stewart Medicine Hat, AB Ed.: That is not correct. Every day, or part of a day, counts as a complete day. So the day you enter is a day and the day you exit is another day. Dear Bird Talk, On the 30th of October 2017, my daughter and son-in-lawwere driving my car to Florida while my wife and I flew down. At the border, the U.S. agent asked them if they had a CBP Form 3299 and since they did not, he stated that he could refuse their entry into the U.S. Fortunately, he allowed them in but stressed that they would need to complete such a form in future. Completion of such a form appears to be somewhat complicated, so I hope that it is not required? Denis Briggs Ontario Ed.: Many people are not aware of this rule and customs is starting to be much more “curious” about a car’s contents. If your vehicle contains unaccompanied goods (which it did), such as household effects, you will need to complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 3299 Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles – ensuring that a complete and accurate list of all the articles in the vehicle is provided. The form and the corresponding instructions can be downloaded from the CBP website at www.cbp.gov. Your daughter and son-in-law met a very kind border agent. The form is required. CSANews | SPRING 2018 | 9
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