Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, Are emergency medical insurance premiums paid by snowbirds to Canadian insurance companies for travel to the U.S. tax deductible on our Canadian returns? I have not found any definitive answer from Revenue Canada or from my online searches. I appreciate any guidance you can provide. Brett Haugrud Alberta Ed.: Premiums paid for travel medical insurance are tax deductible on CRA tax returns as a medical expense. Dear Bird Talk, My wife and I own a property in Florida. I need to complete Form 8840. Do we need to each complete a form, or only one of us, or one form with both names on it? Gilles LeBlanc Dieppe, NB Ed.: One 8840 form per person. And be sure to make a photocopy of each record and keep it on file to include in your “border binder” for reference when you cross the border. Dear Bird Talk, When Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) asks if we own a foreign property worth more than $100,000 CDN, are we only required to respond YES once we have sold the said property, or every year that we think it’s worth that amount? Some Canadians may have paid a lot less than $100,000 CDN at the time of purchase, but the value of the said property would fluctuate from year to year and thus, how are they to know, unless they sell it? Lynn Fenton Ontario Ed.: Foreign property includes stocks, cash, investments and real estate, but does not include personal-use property such as a vacation home that you use primarily as a personal residence. So, you do not have to declare your snowbird winter home on your CRA tax return. Dear Bird Talk, Do days spent in Puerto Rico count towards our number of days spent in the U.S. for either immigration or IRS purposes? Pam Jenks Alberta Ed.: Time spent in Puerto Rico is considered time spent in the United States. Dear Bird Talk, We travel to the U.S. back and forth every year. We also travel internationally (usually the U.K.). Would you please tell us what we should invest in. We previously had Nexus until its expiry in 2021. Also, if we reapply to Nexus, could we renew, versus starting again. Jill or Richard Heyhoe Tillsonburg, ON Ed.: When you are approved for participation in the Nexus program and are issued a Nexus card, you are automatically enrolled in the Global Entry program and the Canadian Verified Traveller Program. Unfortunately, if you have allowed your Nexus membership to expire, you will have to reapply as a new applicant. Dear Bird Talk, I just read (cover to cover) the spring issue. Absolutely invaluable info for newbies, as well as grizzled vets! Bird Talk is especially informative, particularly with respect to the ongoing confusion over the form 8840. Facebook posts about the form 8840 are relentless and mostly inaccurate. Thanks for your precision and clarity. Brian Burns Dryden, ON Ed.: Our pleasure. Thanks for the kudos! Dear Bird Talk, We want to take our grandchildren to the United States through land-border crossing to Disneyland, California. Can they go without COVID vaccinations? Brian Sabourin Nanaimo, B.C. Ed.: All COVID-19 proof of vaccine requirements have been removed by the United States government. You no longer have to prove that you are vaccinated to enter the U.S. Dear Bird Talk, Does anyone have an update on the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act? It made it to the floor in November. Just wondering if anyone has a progress report on the status, as it would be so nice if we could avoid filling out all of these forms every year to keep onside with the U.S. government. Jeff Fearn Calgary, AB Ed.: Take a look at the Government Relations Report in this issue. The CSA is working hard to get both sides of the aisle onside with this act, with several creative approaches. Dear Bird Talk, We are new snowbirds and would like to export our vehicle from Canada to the U.S.; we have heard that it’s quite a process. As new members of the CSA, I have not found any information about this topic on your website, which was quite surprising. Do you have any tips, links, etc. that would be helpful for those of us who wish to pursue this endeavour? Vicki Bay Ontario Ed.: The CSA Travel Information Guide provides extensive information about the process of exporting a vehicle from Canada into the United States. If you are a new member and have misplaced your copy or haven’t received one yet, call the office to get a replacement. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
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