7 thoughts on “US tax and filing for Canadian residents – Upcoming Free Public Presentations in Alberta — Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton”
I will save you a trip.
How many people here think the main core of the discussion is to get people into the OVDI program???
Remember OVDI = payday.
This may turn out to be the most costly free presentation you’ve ever been to.
Mark my words…and you heard it first from me. OVDI will be on the agenda…first and foremost!
Can’t sleep / might as well type…
I posted this as an information piece for people who might be interested and thinking people can get some “education” and start to decide for themselves. Had I some of the same information at my OMG stage, I might have been able to proceed in a different direction. Everyone has to choose for themselves what they need to do – and the way to start is with as much information as they can get, such as the amazing research and education we are getting here at the Isaac Brock site.
I am going with my gut on what I have to do for myself. I essentially had “to dismiss the last tax lawyer” I was provided as time was running short; my appointment with the US Consulate was upon me and I didn’t have the information I needed to carry that through.
I am compliant from 2005 on because of information learned from my daughter when she returned from Seattle after a bad car accident she had there and had hit the ceiling of what medical insurance would pay (she worked for one large computer company that abound there ). She was charging further medical expenses to her VISA card so she could continue working and her continuing to work there could not pay off the VISA card, etc. She wasn’t doing well because of some residual minor brain damage so came back to Calgary, where she was born and raised, did contract work for oil and gas companies for awhile and eventually decided she had to change her career from computer programming. My daughter is almost at the end of a two-year therapeutic massage therapy program at Mount Royal University and plans to open her own business when that is completed. I’m glad I’ve been able to help her and I’m glad she had Canada to come back to. She is the one who asked me when she returned here who did my US taxes as she knew she had to do hers. I, of course, told her that I didn’t have to do US taxes because I was a Canadian citizen as I had relinquished my US citizenship when I became a Canadian citizen in 1975. She did a little education to her old disbelieving, angry mom, who got advice from a cross-border accounting firm rather than from an immigration lawyer – my mistake. So, with that and the other “actions” that signalled I wanted to be a US citizen, here I am. Believe me, I don’t want to place one more iota of guilt she has taken on about this, and she will start her own process for renunciation when she completes this school year / she figures she can’t do both justice and she needs to successfully get through her courses to save a good deal of money by not having to risk not passing and reaching this particular goal. Then on to the next for her – her renunciation.
It is for my daughter and my son (the one that I have written so much about, for whom I am the Holder of an RDSP, better known as a “foreign trust” for those from the IRS who define such things) that I am doing what I must do and, yes, I know the money I’ve spent so far in my process is something none of us should have to put out to get out. But, I want to get to the end of my road here; I want my son’s situation resolved. I’m 68 and want to enjoy the remaining years of my retirement with my 71 year old husband. I want to live each moment I have with purpose and joy, and that purpose is not that which the IRS has wrought for my family.
To make a long, rambling story (I seem to do that) short, I feel that education is most important to really get this story to the public, be they US persons or our fellow Canadians or other countrymen, to our government representatives and those in the country left. In my mind, “education and awareness” is the only way we can affect change. I think this “free public presentation” can be part of that.
I didn’t post this “free public presentation” because I wanted some US tax firm to exploit people. In my gut, I feel this is not the case – that is secondary to the education and awareness they will provide. They are in business and I think professionals who can give us proper advice are in short supply (the CA who has done my US taxes the past three years says she will not take any US tax cases – sort of like the banks are starting to say). In my case, I am not in any OVDI program nor advised to be. I just can’t bloody figure out instructions from the IRS. I don’t have a university degree or the brain power of so many at this site who can figure out other ways of solving this horror for themselves. I’ve learned so much here; I have had such wonderful support; and I know I’ll get through this but, for me, it has to be with the help of professionals I trust (believe me, my trust is in short supply these days).
I based my personal decisions for what I need to do on things I have seen posted here. This lawyer has wondered, with others of us, how many other high profile US citizens have unreported non-US accounts, etc. He had encouraged us (more than once) to read and give comments to the TAS; he has said:
• “I’ve posted this before, but it is worth repeating: Page 154 of the TAS’s report to Congress released last week cites two separate independent reports on tax compliance cost for US filers residing abroad. One report states “international tax preparation cost can exceed $1000 per return” the other report sets that figure as high as $2000 per return. The following is a link to the TAS Report: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=233959,00.html”;
• “The Taxpayer Advocate Service report to the US Congress is critical of the complexity and punitive nature of US tax law as it applies to US citizens residing abroad. Page 154 of the report compares the average cost to prepare returns for taxpayers residing in the US and those residing abroad. For taxpayers residing abroad return preparation can cost $1,000 to $2,000 PER RETURN (the report cites two separate studies). For taxpayers residing in the US return preparation ranges from $173 and $373 per return. This is a shocking disparity on its face, however in reality it typically much worse. What the TAS Report doesn’t mention (at least not in the section referenced above) is that US citizens residing abroad typically must file many more returns per year than the typical tax payer residing in the US. For example, if you have an interest in a trust, partnership, private corporation, etc. you have ADDITIONAL returns to file for each. This multiplies the annual compliance cost accordingly.”
His firm had sent him to a tax conference hosted by the IRS where he asked questions of Commissioner Shulman and then talked with Rosemary Sereti, who is Director of International Individual Compliance for the IRS , so I have concluded (only for myself) this firm IS working for information and change – more so than indicated to me by responses to my correspondence to my government representatives (except for those from the NDP in other constituencies than mine). I do appreciate what Canada’s Finance Minister has stated regarding collecting penalties and taxes for the IRS, but I want more to protect all of us! Canada can perhaps lead the way in this.
To get to my point, I want to get my situation taken care of so I can, hopefully, advocate for others who don’t have a voice or the funds to hire professionals to help them. I feel there are many out there that either don’t know or need to decide what they need to do. Education and awareness, here at Isaac Brock or anywhere we can spread it, is the key – essential in my mind. But then, it is only one point of view.
Since my firm is hosting the presentation and I am the presenter I feel compelled to respond.
Some contributors to this blog have attended my presentations, and I have spoken with scores of individuals on the telephone in the last 6 months. I begin each of my presentations with the following statements:
1) The purpose of the presentation is to educate and inform. The purpose is not to scare, but it also not to coddle.
2) If you leave the presentation feeling scared and intimidated, I will have failed
3) If you leave the presentation feeling complacent, I will have failed
4) if you leave the presentation with understanding and direction, I will have succeeded.
I bring my entire team of 9 US tax lawyers and US CPAs (115 years of combined experience) to these presentations in order to answer questions afterward. I believe we are succeeding in our goals of educating and informing.
@ roy Thanks for your response. I was hoping you would reply.
@Royberg
Any chance of these being available online for those of us who are interested but can’t be in Alberta?
I will save you a trip.
How many people here think the main core of the discussion is to get people into the OVDI program???
Remember OVDI = payday.
This may turn out to be the most costly free presentation you’ve ever been to.
Mark my words…and you heard it first from me. OVDI will be on the agenda…first and foremost!
Can’t sleep / might as well type…
I posted this as an information piece for people who might be interested and thinking people can get some “education” and start to decide for themselves. Had I some of the same information at my OMG stage, I might have been able to proceed in a different direction. Everyone has to choose for themselves what they need to do – and the way to start is with as much information as they can get, such as the amazing research and education we are getting here at the Isaac Brock site.
I am going with my gut on what I have to do for myself. I essentially had “to dismiss the last tax lawyer” I was provided as time was running short; my appointment with the US Consulate was upon me and I didn’t have the information I needed to carry that through.
I am compliant from 2005 on because of information learned from my daughter when she returned from Seattle after a bad car accident she had there and had hit the ceiling of what medical insurance would pay (she worked for one large computer company that abound there ). She was charging further medical expenses to her VISA card so she could continue working and her continuing to work there could not pay off the VISA card, etc. She wasn’t doing well because of some residual minor brain damage so came back to Calgary, where she was born and raised, did contract work for oil and gas companies for awhile and eventually decided she had to change her career from computer programming. My daughter is almost at the end of a two-year therapeutic massage therapy program at Mount Royal University and plans to open her own business when that is completed. I’m glad I’ve been able to help her and I’m glad she had Canada to come back to. She is the one who asked me when she returned here who did my US taxes as she knew she had to do hers. I, of course, told her that I didn’t have to do US taxes because I was a Canadian citizen as I had relinquished my US citizenship when I became a Canadian citizen in 1975. She did a little education to her old disbelieving, angry mom, who got advice from a cross-border accounting firm rather than from an immigration lawyer – my mistake. So, with that and the other “actions” that signalled I wanted to be a US citizen, here I am. Believe me, I don’t want to place one more iota of guilt she has taken on about this, and she will start her own process for renunciation when she completes this school year / she figures she can’t do both justice and she needs to successfully get through her courses to save a good deal of money by not having to risk not passing and reaching this particular goal. Then on to the next for her – her renunciation.
It is for my daughter and my son (the one that I have written so much about, for whom I am the Holder of an RDSP, better known as a “foreign trust” for those from the IRS who define such things) that I am doing what I must do and, yes, I know the money I’ve spent so far in my process is something none of us should have to put out to get out. But, I want to get to the end of my road here; I want my son’s situation resolved. I’m 68 and want to enjoy the remaining years of my retirement with my 71 year old husband. I want to live each moment I have with purpose and joy, and that purpose is not that which the IRS has wrought for my family.
To make a long, rambling story (I seem to do that) short, I feel that education is most important to really get this story to the public, be they US persons or our fellow Canadians or other countrymen, to our government representatives and those in the country left. In my mind, “education and awareness” is the only way we can affect change. I think this “free public presentation” can be part of that.
I didn’t post this “free public presentation” because I wanted some US tax firm to exploit people. In my gut, I feel this is not the case – that is secondary to the education and awareness they will provide. They are in business and I think professionals who can give us proper advice are in short supply (the CA who has done my US taxes the past three years says she will not take any US tax cases – sort of like the banks are starting to say). In my case, I am not in any OVDI program nor advised to be. I just can’t bloody figure out instructions from the IRS. I don’t have a university degree or the brain power of so many at this site who can figure out other ways of solving this horror for themselves. I’ve learned so much here; I have had such wonderful support; and I know I’ll get through this but, for me, it has to be with the help of professionals I trust (believe me, my trust is in short supply these days).
I based my personal decisions for what I need to do on things I have seen posted here. This lawyer has wondered, with others of us, how many other high profile US citizens have unreported non-US accounts, etc. He had encouraged us (more than once) to read and give comments to the TAS; he has said:
• “I’ve posted this before, but it is worth repeating: Page 154 of the TAS’s report to Congress released last week cites two separate independent reports on tax compliance cost for US filers residing abroad. One report states “international tax preparation cost can exceed $1000 per return” the other report sets that figure as high as $2000 per return. The following is a link to the TAS Report: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=233959,00.html”;
• “The Taxpayer Advocate Service report to the US Congress is critical of the complexity and punitive nature of US tax law as it applies to US citizens residing abroad. Page 154 of the report compares the average cost to prepare returns for taxpayers residing in the US and those residing abroad. For taxpayers residing abroad return preparation can cost $1,000 to $2,000 PER RETURN (the report cites two separate studies). For taxpayers residing in the US return preparation ranges from $173 and $373 per return. This is a shocking disparity on its face, however in reality it typically much worse. What the TAS Report doesn’t mention (at least not in the section referenced above) is that US citizens residing abroad typically must file many more returns per year than the typical tax payer residing in the US. For example, if you have an interest in a trust, partnership, private corporation, etc. you have ADDITIONAL returns to file for each. This multiplies the annual compliance cost accordingly.”
His firm had sent him to a tax conference hosted by the IRS where he asked questions of Commissioner Shulman and then talked with Rosemary Sereti, who is Director of International Individual Compliance for the IRS , so I have concluded (only for myself) this firm IS working for information and change – more so than indicated to me by responses to my correspondence to my government representatives (except for those from the NDP in other constituencies than mine). I do appreciate what Canada’s Finance Minister has stated regarding collecting penalties and taxes for the IRS, but I want more to protect all of us! Canada can perhaps lead the way in this.
To get to my point, I want to get my situation taken care of so I can, hopefully, advocate for others who don’t have a voice or the funds to hire professionals to help them. I feel there are many out there that either don’t know or need to decide what they need to do. Education and awareness, here at Isaac Brock or anywhere we can spread it, is the key – essential in my mind. But then, it is only one point of view.
Since my firm is hosting the presentation and I am the presenter I feel compelled to respond.
Some contributors to this blog have attended my presentations, and I have spoken with scores of individuals on the telephone in the last 6 months. I begin each of my presentations with the following statements:
1) The purpose of the presentation is to educate and inform. The purpose is not to scare, but it also not to coddle.
2) If you leave the presentation feeling scared and intimidated, I will have failed
3) If you leave the presentation feeling complacent, I will have failed
4) if you leave the presentation with understanding and direction, I will have succeeded.
I bring my entire team of 9 US tax lawyers and US CPAs (115 years of combined experience) to these presentations in order to answer questions afterward. I believe we are succeeding in our goals of educating and informing.
@ roy Thanks for your response. I was hoping you would reply.
@Royberg
Any chance of these being available online for those of us who are interested but can’t be in Alberta?