Friday, December 8, 2017

An Overview Of Tax Issues For Investors And Canadian Immigrants

By Scott Wallace


When moving to a new nation either for investment purposes or due to permanent immigration, one of the key challenges that you are bound to experience is getting a grasp of the local tax laws. All countries have their own rules, so fitting in may take some time and a bit of research. The insights below cover common tax issues for investors and Canadian immigrants and may help you understand the local laws better.

Under Canadian law, an individual becomes eligible to pay tax based on what his residency status is. As such, you should know where you stand in terms of immigration paperwork from the word go. If the authorities have already issued you with your residency documentation and you have started running your business locally, it is mandatory to register with the taxman in order to avoid breaking the law.

In essence, the moment the Canadian government recognizes your residency application and issues you with a permit is the day you become mandated to begin paying taxes. Some applicants get their permits issued soon after arriving at the airport while others engage the authorities in a cat and mouse race. Important factors that the government looks at when ascertaining taxation liability are marriage to a Canadian or local property ownership.

Once your tax residency is established, you will be required to pay your taxes and file returns every year. The law requires duly registered residents to pay levies on income generated worldwide. This means if you have income coming in from a business you own overseas, that income is considered taxable. Canadians residing overseas are however subjected to taxation only for the income they make within the country.

One factor that most immigrants often overlook when relocating is analyzing the difference between their new levy rates and what they are accustomed to paying. As your overseas income will be levied, you may be surprised to get a higher or lower levy rate depending on what your parent country used to charge. If you avoid analyzing this before your move, you may end up with very little at the end of the month and regret your move. Do whatever is necessary to find out about this beforehand.

Canada views taxable income as possibly originating from plenty of sources, which is not different from what many countries do. Sources include employment and investment income. For investment income, the state bills businesses located locally and overseas for residents. Regardless of what your sources are, the fact is that you ought to be prepared to get taxed.

In case you have been transferred by your employer to the country, make sure you avoid being taxed excessively. The date your employer posts you matters a lot as the government will use it to determine the amount that you ought to pay. Ensure your travel log and employment letters indicate when you got posted in detail.

Before you begin paying up, apply for a tax ID number. Without one, the state may find you culpable of evading payment in its subsequent audits. The deadline for filing returns is the thirtieth of April each year.




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