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Why Canadian mutual funds can cause U.S. tax headaches – Repost

Why Canadian mutual funds can cause U.S. tax headaches

Written by: Max Reed

Common Canadian investments can inadvertently cause U.S. tax problems for U.S. citizens in Canada.

Let’s take a really common example that we see frequently. Jack is a U.S. citizen in his 50s who married Jill (a Canadian citizen) many years ago. They have both lived in Canada for a long time. Jack was vaguely aware that he was supposed to be filing U.S. taxes every year. But he didn’t. Then Jack started reading about a recent U.S. law, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) under which his financial institutions would soon be sending his financial information to the IRS by way of the Canada Revenue Agency.

Jack started to comply with his U.S. tax obligations and in the process discovered that his retirement portfolio, which is comprised of Canadian mutual funds and ETFs that are held outside of an RRSP, might cause him problems.

There are strategies that can be used to help someone in Jack’s situation. For instance, Jack can swap his Canadian mutual funds and Canadian-listed ETFs into his RRSP for other investments that may be less problematic. Jack may also be able to gift some of these problematic investments to his wife Jill who is not a U.S. citizen.

Jack’s situation is avoidable with some foresight and planning. Canadian mutual funds and Canadian listed ETFs held outside of an RRSP/RRIF may cause U.S. tax problems. They may (the IRS has not taken a clear position on this and there may be some exceptions to the rule for older funds) be classified as a passive foreign investment company (PFIC) under U.S. tax law. If the investments are classified as PFICs and are held outside of an RRSP/RRIF, they must be reported on a complicated form.

There are punitive tax consequences for owning such an investment. For instance, when the investment is sold, the gain on the investment is subject to tax at up to 35% or 39.6% (depending on the year) and compound interest is charged on the tax owed stretching back to when the investment was purchased. There are strategies available to manage, but not eliminate, this headache but the strategies themselves are quite complicated and likely require the services of a tax professional. The simplest way to avoid this headache is to not own Canadian mutual funds and Canadian listed ETFs outside of an RRSP if you are U.S. citizen.

If Canadian mutual funds and ETFs are owned inside of an RRSP, there is much less of a U.S. tax problem. Recent IRS rule changes have eliminated the annual reporting requirement for Canadian mutual funds and Canadian ETFs held inside of an RRSP. Similarly, the Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty (an agreement between Canada and the United States that helps sort out some of the thorny cross-border tax issues) allows U.S. citizens in Canada to defer any tax owed on income accrued inside the RRSP until the income is withdrawn from the RRSP. Many advisors agree that this tax deferral provision likely negates any of the punitive taxes related to the classification of Canadian mutual funds and Canadian ETFs as PFICs as long as the investments are sold before they are taken out of the RRSP. Importantly, the same is not true for other Canadian registered plans such as a TFSA, an RESP, or an RDSP (these plans generally do not work as designed for US tax purposes).

To avoid Jack’s situation, U.S. citizens in Canada should exercise care in making their investment choices. Tax advice should be obtained as necessary.

Original Posting: http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/taxes/holiday-series-max-reed-canadian-mutual-funds-cause-u-s-tax-problems

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How The U.S. May Tax a Canadian Tax Free Savings Account – Repost

How The U.S. May Tax a Canadian Tax Free Savings Account

Written by: Terry Ritchie

 

Qualified individuals in Canada can start a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) and earn income in a tax-free manner. The TFSA account provides tax benefits for savings where investment income earnings, including capital gains and dividends, are not taxed when withdrawn. However, unlike the Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP), contributions to a TFSA are not tax deductible for the annual income tax purpose.

tfsaThe TFSA offers a lucrative and general-purpose savings  vehicle for Canadians, who are living in Canada. However, it may not turn out to be as good as it seems for anyone who is subject to tax codes by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is because, unlike the RRSP, the Internal Revenue Service does not grant tax-deferred status to the Canadian TFSA. Since any income generated in the TSFA is taxed under US law, this taxable status usually takes away any fringe benefits of having a TFSA account for most Canadians residing in the U.S.

Moreover, most Canadians will be required to report the TFSA to the US Department of Treasury on an annual basis, as it is mandatory to submit the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Account Form TD F 90-22.1. If you are a Canadian, living in the US as a resident, you may have to pay penalties for failing to disclose the TFSA account, which is termed as a foreign bank account.

Again, there are additional concerns regarding whether or not the TFSA will be considered as a foreign trust  under the US tax law. There is considerable confusion regarding this, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not revealed their official position on this issue yet. In the circumstance that the IRS decides to consider the TFSA as a foreign trust, the Canadian, who is a U.S. taxpayer, will be termed as an owner of a non-resident trust. As a consequence, the Form 3520-A, titled “Annual Information Return of Foreign Trust With a U.S. Owner,” will be required to be filed within two and half months once the trust’s year ends. Any failure to submit the Form 3520-A with the IRS will be subjected to a penalty greater than $10,000 or 5-percent of the gross value of the trust, which is the total amount left in the TFSA at the end of the tax year.

Then, under the Form 3520, titled “Annual Return To Report Transactions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts,” it may be required to disclose contributions to and withdrawals from the TFSA to the IRS. Any failure to submit this additional form may result in a penalty equal to 35- percent of the contribution or withdrawal amount.

In conclusion, Cardinal Point Wealth Management recommends that U.S. taxpayers, regardless of their current residency status in the U.S. or abroad, consider not contributing to an existing TFSA, withdrawing all remaining TFSA funds, and stopping the use of the account. Following these steps, avoids taxation in both Canada and the United States. For further advice on navigating the complications of cross-border wealth management and taxations, contact us today.

Original Posting: http://cardinalpointwealth.com/how-the-u-s-may-tax-a-canadian-tax-free-savings-account/