Snowbirds US Day Tracker
Canadians are well aware of how long winters can be. Many head south to avoid the cold and layers of snow and stay through those long winter months by basking in the sun on a beach in Florida, Arizona or even Hawaii. They have since been labeled ‘Snowbirds’.
Snowbirds love to stay in the US as long as they can, however, often become confused about how long they can actually stay in the US. The danger is that you can become classified as a US resident if you stay too long and will be subject to IRS taxes. This could result in you being double taxed!
The amount of days spent in the US is not as cut and dry as it seems when it comes to paying taxes. It is not based on the number of days you’ve spent there in a given year, but over a 3 year time frame. This can become very complicated and expensive if you do not know how to track things appropriately.
After identifying this issue with his clients, Portfolio Manager and Branch Manager with Raymond James, Gerry Scott, a Canadian and avid Snowbird himself, created an application to monitor the number of days in the US to avoid tax implications. He has spent over 23 years in the wealth management industry and holds a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation, and is a Life Insurance Representative.
App Details
The app he designed is called the Snowbirds US Day Tracker. It helps keep track of the actual days they’ve spent in the US to avoid any US resident tax implications. It also offers several features of interest to Snowbirds such as Tax & Legal, Real Estate, Property Rental and yes, Medical Tourism services. Health Vantis is proud to be included as one of its partners!
Another attractive benefit the application provides is access to better conversion rates for your Canadian dollars. Gerry’s long term relationships with banks allow for preferred, highly efficient and cost effective transactions to save you money on the conversation rates.
If you are an annual Snowbird, this application is a must have! It is free and can be downloaded in the Apple Store and Google Play. If you have questions regarding how to track your stay in the US, Gerry is always available for assistance at: 604-936-7529 or gerry.scott@snowbirdsapp.ca.
If you are planning your annual trip and are on the wait list for a surgery, diagnostic test or require a second opinion, please contact Health Vantis. We can coordinate the service you need with your trip! Health Vantis can be reached at 877-344-3544 or info@healthvantis.com.
