Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, Our newly appointed HOA president at our home in Florida is on a kick about “Canadians aren’t allowed to handle money in the U.S.” I know it is as ridiculous as it sounds. Many Canadians sit on boards and committees, participate in social events, sell tickets, etc. Is there any merit to her claims that Canadians are not allowed to be involved in handling money as part of an HOA or social committee, or is she just misinformed? David MacAskill Sydney, NS Ed.: ‘Misinformed’ is the appropriate word. There are no such rules or regulations. What she possibly means is that Canadians are not allowed to earn money in the U.S., as they are taking a job from an American. Dear Bird Talk, We (snowbirds) spend millions of dollars every year in the U.S. Why is it so hard for U.S. politicians to pass a bill to have the time spent in the U.S. by Canadian snowbirds increased to eight months? Does the U.S. not like our money? This is a no-brainer and should be passed sooner than later. John Romijn Brampton, ON Ed.: We couldn’t agree with you more! It is really hundreds of millions. Dear Bird Talk, We own a mobile home in Florida, but do not own the land (rented). Selling a mobile home is similar to selling a vehicle where we sign over title. Annually, we pay for a mobile home trailer licence just like a car. The mobile home has increased in value and we are wondering whether we are subject to capital gains on a mobile home that is treated like a vehicle? William Gordon Ontario Ed.: As you do not own the land, your property is not considered “real estate.” However, as you will realize a gain on the sale, you are taxable on the gain by way of a ‘capital gains tax’. There is no requirement for withholding, as there would be if it were “real estate.” A tax return is required to be filed in the year following the year of the sale. Dear Bird Talk, Winter visitors to Arizona often travel to Mexico for dental work. Are medical emergencies, such as excessive bleeding/ blood loss from extractions, covered by Medipac? My feeling is that they would not be covered as this was an elective procedure, but I would like clarification. This happened to my husband...we probably should have called 911 (he was semi-comatose on the kitchen floor), but we managed with the help of a neighbour. If we had called 911, would we have been covered? What about other happenings... heart attack in the dental chair, reactions to anesthetics, etc. Margaret Northcote Arelee, SK Ed.: The Medipac Travel Insurance policy is designed to protect against unexpected medical emergencies. When an individual elects to seek medical treatment or have a procedure that is preplanned, both the costs of the medical care and any resulting complication(s) would be excluded by the policy. Dear Bird Talk, My wife and I are in the U.S. for three months. She will be teaching a one-day art course as an art club event in a 55+ community. She will be paid between $200 and $800, depending on the number of students. The club takes a percentage of the course fees. Are there forms to fill out for the IRS and/or for the CRA (the art club wanted her to fill out a W9 but she can’t, since she is not a U.S. citizen)? Should she just pocket the money and not worry about it? Advice please!! Bill Shugar Dundas, ON Ed.: It doesn’t matter how small the payment is. It is illegal for a visitor to the United States to perform services for compensation; regardless of whether the compensation is money or something of value such as a free lesson or a round of golf. You can volunteer your services, but be sure that you are not taking away someone else’s job. A special work visa would be required, and I doubt that it would be issued in these circumstances. Dear Bird Talk, Hi there. I understand that Ontario recently ruled to retain OHIP coverage for any emergencies while outside of Canada. Can you please explain why I would need travel insurance as well, if any emergency medical costs are going to be covered by OHIP? Tanya Trachtenberg Toronto, ON Ed.: The CSA filed a lawsuit against the province of Ontario when they repealed out-of-country medical payments – and we won. However, although OHIP payments for emergency medical services performed outside of Canada have been reinstated, they are still limited to maximums of $200 CAD and $400 CAD per hospital day. Hospital claims average more than $20,000 USD per day. Buy travel insurance! Dear Bird Talk, I arrived in the U.S. on Oct 28, 2022 and will arrive back in Canada on April 4, 2023. While in the U.S., I took a 15-day Panama Canal cruise departing from L.A. and arriving back in Miami. Does the 15 days I was on the cruise count towards the total number of days allowed in the U.S.? Jennifer Goodyear Agassiz, BC Ed.: Since your cruise departed from and returned to a port in the United States, it is treated as a temporary absence from your primary “visit,” and you must count the entire cruise trip as “days in the U.S.” Dear Bird Talk, I’m from Ontario, Canada, and we are leasing a home for four months in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Can I buy and register a car in Arizona while I’m there? Brian Cocker St. Thomas, ON Ed.: Yes! You can purchase, register and insure a vehicle in the United States, but you would have to leave it there. Bringing it back to Canada is another matter. You must “import” the car, pay taxes and import fees, and have 72-hour advance permission from the U.S. border officials to export the vehicle. This is a cumbersome process, but my family has done it several times over the years. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
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