# Looking for Canadian Tax Software



## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

We're a bit up a tree this year. 

Last year TurboTax did the job and calculated our Canadian Taxes correctly and easily. This year my friend got it and he tells me that it is not switching over to out of country resident mode when we enter that we live permanently in Mexico. This means that we cannot report our income correctly as the resident reporting forms are different to the non-resident ones.

Does anyone know of any other good Tax software that works for non-residents of Canada?

Sometimes I wish I were a corporation.... just hire 100 accountants and never pay a cent of taxes ever (sigh)


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

OK. I'm going to answer my own query in the hope that it will help other Canadians in the same quagmire.

No one seems to understand how I did my taxes last year with Turbo Tax last year but the answer I got from the Ex patriot office of the Gov't of Canada is that no third party software supports non-resident tax return preparation.

I tried Turbo Tax online and hit the same wall (trying to enter my NR4 and NR4-OAS. After 45 minutes on hold with support the agent told me to call CRA (Canada Revenue Agency).

They knew nothing about anything so I was transferred to the Gov`t Expat office. They said that I must first read the guide #T4145 and then fill in the 217 return. Like back in the good old days. 

By the way, no rush for Non-Residents, as our deadline is June 30, not April 30 like the residents.

Looks like Turbo Tax et al. have abandoned the Expat market.... talk about bad business practices and leaving piles of money on the table:confused2:

I'll post here how the DIY works out once I have done it.

PS you will think in the beginning that all is well with your tax software as it still has boxes for non-residents (address etc,) however, don't be fooled, it doesn't work anymore, so don't waste your time.


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

Jolga said:


> We're a bit up a tree this year.
> 
> Last year TurboTax did the job and calculated our Canadian Taxes correctly and easily. This year my friend got it and he tells me that it is not switching over to out of country resident mode when we enter that we live permanently in Mexico. This means that we cannot report our income correctly as the resident reporting forms are different to the non-resident ones.
> 
> ...


I've never filed on-line before, but this year I'm going to try SimpleTax, listed by Canada Revenue Agency as one of their recommended. Don't know if it can handle non-residents, but check them out. I particularly like SimpleTax's fee structure: by donation, or free, whatever moves you. The CEO recently acknowledged that their average "donation" is $11 C.


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

HolyMole said:


> I've never filed on-line before, but this year I'm going to try SimpleTax, listed by Canada Revenue Agency as one of their recommended. Don't know if it can handle non-residents, but check them out. I particularly like SimpleTax's fee structure: by donation, or free, whatever moves you. The CEO recently acknowledged that their average "donation" is $11 C.


Just to update you on my particular situation. Reading that obscure guide I found out that if I agree with the 15% tax that has been taken off in compliance with the Mexican\Canadian Treaty, then I don't have to fill fill ANY income tax report. I called CRA and they confirmed that this is correct. How is that for a Happy Ending

Please let us all now how that Simple Tax goes, as what the government giveth, the government taketh away, so I might need it some day.


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

Jolga said:


> Just to update you on my particular situation. Reading that obscure guide I found out that if I agree with the 15% tax that has been taken off in compliance with the Mexican\Canadian Treaty, then I don't have to fill fill ANY income tax report. I called CRA and they confirmed that this is correct. How is that for a Happy Ending
> 
> Please let us all now how that Simple Tax goes, as what the government giveth, the government taketh away, so I might need it some day.


Since we decided to continue with the "6 months here, 6 months there" and not move to Mexico permanently, I've forgotten everything I read about non-resident tax filing.
However, a question, (in case we change our minds):
Our total combined income is pretty low - we seldom owe much tax at all each year, and we have no tax withheld from any of our sources of income....CPP, QPP, OAS, and my miserly pension as a retired federal public servant.
I was always under the impression that, if the 15% withholding tax for declared non-residents turned out to exceed the actual tax payable when the smoke cleared, (i.e. after actually filing a return), then a refund would be in order. In our case, this would seem only fair, since our normal tax payable is far less than 15%. (I realize the word "fair" may not be part of CRA's vocabulary).
In other words, as residents of Canada, we might end up paying only 2 or 3% of our gross income as taxes....so it would seem unlikely that as non-residents, (with the same income), we could end up paying 15%.
Please tell me I'm right.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Jolga said:


> Just to update you on my particular situation. Reading that obscure guide I found out that if I agree with the 15% tax that has been taken off in compliance with the Mexican\Canadian Treaty, then I don't have to fill fill ANY income tax report. I called CRA and they confirmed that this is correct. How is that for a Happy Ending
> 
> Please let us all now how that Simple Tax goes, as what the government giveth, the government taketh away, so I might need it some day.


Maybe Canada should send some tax experts to the US to teach them how to collect taxes.


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

HolyMole said:


> Since we decided to continue with the "6 months here, 6 months there" and not move to Mexico permanently, I've forgotten everything I read about non-resident tax filing.
> However, a question, (in case we change our minds):
> Our total combined income is pretty low - we seldom owe much tax at all each year, and we have no tax withheld from any of our sources of income....CPP, QPP, OAS, and my miserly pension as a retired federal public servant.
> I was always under the impression that, if the 15% withholding tax for declared non-residents turned out to exceed the actual tax payable when the smoke cleared, (i.e. after actually filing a return), then a refund would be in order. In our case, this would seem only fair, since our normal tax payable is far less than 15%. (I realize the word "fair" may not be part of CRA's vocabulary).
> ...


Considering that you are a snowbird, I think you should you should file a return. This no file deal is only for non/residents, you are still considered to be a resident.... sorry


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

TundraGreen said:


> Maybe Canada should send some tax experts to the US to teach them how to collect taxes.


Ha! Ha! I think you got that right TundraGreen. My son and daughter in law are high level engineers in Silicone Valley. They pay jaw dropping tax preparation fees to an accountant in San Jose and every year they have to pay out thousands of dollars in supplementary taxes on the shares which their firm gives them. :confused2:


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

Jolga said:


> Considering that you are a snowbird, I think you should you should file a return. This no file deal is only for non/residents, you are still considered to be a resident.... sorry


Your quote at the bottom of your posts suggests you may have been a teacher....so, Jolga, pay attention.
I never asked if I was required to file a tax return - of course I am. I asked if .....ah, forget it. I'll ask the CRA.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

HolyMole said:


> Your quote at the bottom of your posts suggests you may have been a teacher....so, Jolga, pay attention.
> I never asked if I was required to file a tax return - of course I am. I asked if .....ah, forget it. I'll ask the CRA.


Your post was pretty clear that you were asking a hypothetical question at this point in your life. Maybe Jolga missed the "in case we change our minds" parenthetical comment.


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