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Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Any further information about a rumour that Canadians who have property in the U.S. and stay for longer than four months in a calendar year are deemed to pay income tax, the same as an American citizen would? Also, any news about the visitor visa for Canadian seniors? Stan S. Ontario Response: Ed.: Nonsense! Don’t […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, This may be old hat to experienced snowbirds, but it was news to us. We are newbie snowbirds planning to spend February through April in South Carolina. We put our second car into storage and removed all but comprehensive insurance; the resultant savings paid for the storage fees three times over. So […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Snowbirds who are looking at renting a house in Florida that uses propane for heating a pool should be very careful. Although some people claim that heating a pool with propane is similar in cost to that for hydro, propane rates from propane suppliers vary widely based on a home’s annual usage […]

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., […]