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Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, In your winter 2014, Issue 93, you advised Linda Johnson of Vancouver B.C. that the sale of her current home “would be subject to capital gains tax on the difference between the sale price and the purchase price you paid, less improvements. Ten per cent of the sale price is required to […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, My wife and I own a home in Arizona. Can you give guidance concerning the estate tax? Specifically, circumventing it. Should we have a separate will for the U.S.? Should we have our children’s names on the title? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. W Delorme Calgary, AB Response: Ed.: For persons […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I think it important to warn other snowbirds about my unfortunate experience with Bell Canada. For two years, I requested temporary suspension of my satellite dish for the TV while I was in Florida. This was done…and I was charged a minimal amount. This past October 2013, I phoned them as usual. […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Like many snowbirds, we do our banking online while in Florida. While away from home, we use Kathy’s debit card information to access our company and personal bank accounts but, last winter, we discovered that her card was about to expire while we were away. It had a November expiry date. According […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Having recently purchased condos in both Ontario and Florida, we are just about to join the ranks of the snowbirds. Is it necessary to set up a bank account in the U.S., or have you found it possible to get along with just a Canadian bank and a VISA card? Arthur Wenk, […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, In Arizona, snowbirds are non-primary residents and are classed as category 4 subsection 1 for property taxes, which excludes us from protection from licensed trades that go bankrupt, and from making a claim through the Registry of Arizona Contractors to their Recovery Fund. This requires a classification of 3 (primary residence). So […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, In your always informative Editor’s notes in the Summer 2013 issue, you mentioned that snowbird visitors are not allowed to work in the U.S. Is this different than for any other Canadian? For example, what about Canadians who give the occasional speech or lead a workshop at a conference in the U.S., […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I always enjoy the articles and timely tips, but must admit that one article in the recent Bird Talk section raised huge red flags. I refer specifically to the one from V.C. in Lloydminster, AB, where he suggested how to adapt your SIN to facilitate a U.S. credit card application. Having been […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I have read with interest your previous exchanges on the difficulty of obtaining a U.S. $ bank credit card. Last summer, the solution seemed to be to get a U.S. tax ID number. That option won’t work anymore, as the IRS will not issue one unless you will be filing a U.S. […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Like many other people, I had the problem of not being able to use my credit card at the gas pumps in Florida because I did not have a U.S. zip code to punch into the pump. My solution was to phone MasterCard and temporarily change my billing address to my U.S. […]