BirdTalk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Come on, folks – this is Canada’s sesquicentennial – show the true faces of our great country and represent all Canadians. Clary Croft Nova Scotia Ed.: I decided to review a few of our past issues for diversity and it appears that you are correct. I will speak to our picture “deciders” and see if we can’t improve in this area. I also printed your letter so that everyone could see “sesquicentennial” in writing and know how to spell it. I am still practising. Dear Bird Talk, If my wife and I visit Arizona for five months every calendar year (say Nov. 1-March 31) and file an 8840 every year, will we be subject to U.S. taxes based on worldly income? Our U.S. tax accountant in Canada says that it is very possible and recommends to not spend more than 120 days every year in the U.S. Marvin Frederickson Courtenay, B.C. Ed.: No, of course not! If youearn income in the U.S., youDOhave to file a U.S. tax return, though. Many people confuse the 120 days indicated on the Form 8840 with the six months you are allowed to stay in the U.S. The 8840 should be filed if you spend more than 120 days in the U.S. and I would personally file it if you are over 90 days. The completed 8840 tells the government that you are not a U.S. resident, but a Canadian resident, that`s all really. There is no risk in filing, although some people will tell you otherwise. You are allowed to spend six months (182 days) in the U.S. in any 12-month period. Notice that this is not in a calendar year, but in any rolling 12-month period. Your five-month holiday is perfect and very proper. Dear Bird Talk, We own a home in Arizona and have two vehicles registered and insured there. We have always maintained full insurance on the vehicles, even if we don’t use them for six months. I am assuming that there is a way to put them in “storage” status and save $$ on insurance. What do other people do in this situation? Heather Curts Calgary, AB Ed.: The simple way to do this is to drop the driving coverages and just leave comprehensive insurance (fire and theft, basically) on your vehicles. Different companies have different ways of dealing with this and call it different things, but they all understand dropping the driving coverages. Some will refund your money right away and others will hold it until you reinstate the driving coverages. Dear Bird Talk, Being from the Okanagan, I was delighted to read your article about the South Okanagan. However, I was disappointed that you didn’t go slightly further to the lovely town of Summerland. In addition to many beautiful sights, wineries and beaches, it is the home of the Kettle Valley SteamRailway. This heritage train is almost 105 years old and is a delightful ride featuring a great commentary, banjo player, etc. During the summer months ‒ on selected Sundays ‒ it also features a Great Train Robbery from which all money goes to charity. It also includes a delicious dinner. Well worth adding to anyone’s vacation list. Sharon Unrau Summerland, B.C. Ed.: It is now on my bucket list. Thanks. Dear Bird Talk, I enjoy reading the various questions and answers re: Dear Bird Talk. One answer caught my attention in the summer 2017 issue 103. It was mentioned that, sometimes, a border guard will only allow you a shorter period (for instance – only 90 days). In that case, you will have to comply with the shorter length of stay and leave when the 90 days are up. What would be the circumstances in which they would do this? Thanking you in advance. Faye McDermott Wakefield, QC Ed.: I have found no rationale for the many and varied decisions given by border guards. It appears that their mood and the kind of day they have had can be a factor. Did they have a fight with their spouse that morning? One person was limited to 90 days when she stated that she was going to stay for 182 days. The guard decided that she was trying to “game” the system and said that you can only legally stay for six months, not 182 days. Then he displayed his power by stating that, in your case, he was only allowing 90 days. She started to argue about the six-month rule and he was quite blunt and said it can be zero days if she complains further. She got a piece of paper saying that she had to be out of the U.S. on a specific date, 90 days after crossing, and had to hand in the paper on the way out. She left on day 89 to be sure – a wise decision. Always be courteous and answer direct questions directly, and as briefly as possible. Trying to make friends will only make them suspicious, unfortunately. There is really nothing to worry about as 98% of border crossings are routine. My one bad experience was with the Canada Customs border guards. My wife and I were crossing into New Brunswick from Maine with my 80-ish-year-old parents in the back seat of a 15-year-old Cadillac.We all had to get out of the car and wait for about three hours while they tore the car apart. They charged us $8 in tariffs of some kind and we were on our way. Maybe they just liked the old car! CSANews | FALL 2017 | 9
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