US retirees in Canada

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
-----Original Message-----
From: ellen hoffman [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 10:55 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: US retirees in Canada
HI David,
         I am writing an article for Business Week magazine about Americans who have retired in Canada. 
Before I am through, I'd like to interview you about some of the tax and other legal issues.
         
However, right now I need to interview some Americans who have actually retired there. Would you have any clients or acquaintances who would be willing to talk about their experience, why they have done it, pros and cons, etc.? If so, I'd appreciate e-mail and phone contact points for them.
  (For my credentials, see  my website, www.retirementcatchup.com )
         Thanks for any help you can give.
         Ellen Hoffman
Ellen Hoffman
P.O. Box 3144
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
Phone: 304-876-2243
Fax: 304-876-6901
----------------------------------------
david ingram replies:
Co-incidently, my sister lives in Wheeling, West Virginia.
However, your request for American retirees in Canada is not going to be easy.
Although I have many clients who have come to Canada in retirement, Without exception, at least one of them is a Canadian and they almost always come because they have run out of their US medical plan or cannot get insurance or cannot afford the insurance they can get.
Others are retired here because they have worked in Canada up to retirement and they stay here.  Again, many, if not most will check the tax on their pensions and then find out if they have enough credit for US medical and if they do, will then move back to the US.  
This is particularly true for University professors.
Americans can NOT "just move" to Canada to retire, any more than a Canadian, Mexican or Ethiopian can just move to the US to retire.
We have a point system for immigration and it is almost impossible to consider immigrating to Canada after age 55.
To put it bluntly, at 61, I would not qualify, our Prime Minister would not qualify, the premier of BC would not qualify.
A 60 or 65 year old could come here as an immigrant investor but again, if they had that much money, they would not likely come because of our higher taxes on investment income, capital gains, dividends and social security and other pensions.
And,if they are over 65, their US Social Security medical kicks in and it is every bit as good or maybe even better than Canada's universal medical plan.
Give me a call at (604) 657-8451 if you would like to discuss this further.  As I said, I can give you medical economic refugees.
I have added you to my newsletter list and you will see some other answers which will give you an idea and again you can find a lot by reading the newsletters at: www.centa.com.
David Ingram of the CEN-TA REALTY  Group
US / Canada / Mexico tax and working Visa Specialists
US / Canada Real Estate Specialists
108-100 Park Royal South
West Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V7T 1A2
(604) 980-0321 - Fax 913-9123 [email protected]
www.centa.com www.david-ingram.com
Disclaimer:  This question has been answered without detailed information or consultation and is to be regarded only as general comment.   Nothing in this message is or should be construed as advice in any particular circumstances. No contract exists between the reader and the author and any and all non-contractual duties are expressly denied. All readers should obtain formal advice from a competent and appropriately qualified legal practitioner or tax specialist in connection with personal or business affairs such as at www.centa.com. If you forward this message, this disclaimer must be included."
Be ALERT,  the world needs more "lerts"
 
.  
       
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.centa.com/CEN-TAPEDE/centapede/attachments/8c5b4612/attachment.htm
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--

Trackback

Trackback URL for this entry: http://www.centa.com/trackback.php/UsCa2003August000233.html

No trackback comments for this entry.

0 comments