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Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, We recently bought a manufactured home in Florida. We have heard that if we sell this unit down the road, we will be taxed by the U.S. government. There are many different opinions on this. Can you advise us of the drawbacks of a Canadian selling mobile homes in Florida? Lorraine Hoculik […]

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, When calculating days spent in the U.S. on the form 8840, if a person returns to Canada for two weeks at Christmastime and then returns to the U.S., or if a person is going on a cruise for two weeks on the Panama Canal while they are staying in the U.S., are […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear bird talk, I have been unable to complete an application to get a Wal-Mart credit card because the computer insists on a Social Security Number and, of course, I only have a Canadian social insurance number. two weeks of trying to find some way around the computer and talking to senior staff at the […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I have run into banking fees regarding U.S.$ deposits from Canadian banks. Does anyone know of a bank in the Rio Grande Valley which does not have these fees? Richard in ON Response: Ed: This is an ongoing problem for many snowbirds. U.S. banks often charge deposit fees, they may hold up […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I would like to warn CSA members about using ATMs in the USA, based on my personal experience. In early March, I attempted to withdraw US$300.00 from my CIBC Canadian account at a Chase Bank ATM located in a Walgreens Drugs outlet in Mesa, Arizona. Although I received a receipt stating that […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, We travel to Arizona in the winter and also like to use credit cards at the gas pumps. It took some time for us to be told of a solution, but there is one that works. We use a credit card – an American $ Visa this year, to avoid paying exchange […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Here is another suggestion. We obtained a Discover credit card in Florida using our winter address, which was completely acceptable. Discover is good in the U.S. only, as far as we know. If you have a U.S. winter address, then you have a zip code and we use it when buying gas. […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, Recently, I decided to remove the money I had remaining in my U.S. Royal Bank chequing account because I was returning to Canada within two weeks and I thought I would take the cash and just spend whatever money I had. I went to the bank machine and removed all that was […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017

Dear Bird Talk, I am a Florida homeowner. Are Canadians eligible to apply for a Homestead Tax Exemption ($25,000) on their property taxes in Florida? Thank You, William Johnston Response: Ed: The Florida Homestead Tax Exemption is for full-time Florida residents only. Our concern is that even more taxes will be shifted to visitors and […]