{"id":1724,"date":"2014-01-10T04:08:58","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T09:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=1724"},"modified":"2021-03-02T09:11:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T14:11:19","slug":"living-bermuda-escaping-canada-embracing-bermuda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/living-bermuda-escaping-canada-embracing-bermuda\/","title":{"rendered":"Living in Bermuda: Escaping Canada and Embracing Bermuda"},"content":{"rendered":"
While the majority of articles on Escape Artist are written from the American perspective, I thought I would write a few words for the readers of Escape Artist from the perspective of your quiet neighbours from the North. I have been reading Escape Artist for several years now, and believe it\u2019s now time to give back a bit to the site that helped me come to the conclusion that leaving one\u2019s country permanently can be a great thing to do.<\/p>\n
Why leave Canada? \u00a0While we have a great standard of living, it comes at the expense of sky-high taxes.<\/p>\n
I personally prefer a less invasive and therefore less expensive form of government and, since I\u2019m no politician, I\u2019m not in any real position to change the system.<\/p>\n
That leaves two choices \u2013 endure it and stay, or, wave good-bye to the country of my birth. When the opportunity came to leave Canada, I embraced it wholeheartedly. \u00a0(And let\u2019s not forget the snow. \u00a0I\u2019m not a winter kind of person). For the past year, I have had the pleasure of calling myself an expat. I\u2019m not yet an expat retiree, but trust me, I\u2019m working on it.<\/p>\n
Last December, I, along with my wife and dog, packed it all up and moved from the Snowy North to Beautiful Bermuda. Why Bermuda? \u00a0There were many reasons, but most importantly, that\u2019s where the job offer was. \u00a0I hope to write quite a few articles about expat life in Bermuda in the coming months, and welcome your feedback on the articles.<\/p>\n
From the expat point-of-view, one of the best advantages of being a Canadian<\/a> (as compared to being American) is that it is much easier to shed one\u2019s residence, and therefore, tax obligation. \u00a0While there are many \u201ctests\u201d which the government uses to decide whether or not they still have a right to tax you as a resident, the challenge of losing Canadian tax residency can be simply solved by following the following golden rule:<\/p>\n Sell everything, close all accounts, and act as if you\u2019re never coming back.<\/p>\n You can change your mind later, but for all intents and purposes, you have to make like you\u2019re never coming back. \u00a0(After a year away, I can tell you, I don\u2019t plan to return to Canada except to visit family and friends maybe once a year!).<\/p>\n The CCRA, formerly known as Revenue Canada, provides quite a bit of documentation online, and there are several factors that are used to determine whether you have successfully extricated yourself or not.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not a lawyer! But, one of my coworkers talked to a tax lawyer before he too left Canada, and it was recommended that expats DO NOT submit the NR73 form.<\/p>\n The lawyer explained that if you give CCRA the opportunity to deny your non-resident status, they are much more likely to do so than if you simply leave, declare that you have left Canada on your last tax return, and file no further returns. \u00a0You are not legally required to fill out the NR73, so I will leave it up to you.<\/p>\n The increased scrutiny of the tax department of any country is not something many of us would want.<\/p>\n I found this great podcast by The Expat Money Show<\/a> – Kristin Wilson<\/a> on being a digital nomad<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the Canadian expat\u2019s tax bible. \u00a0In this 8 page document is everything you need to legally escape the Canadian tax system. My favourite line is in Paragraph 2: \u201cThe term \u201cresident\u201d is not defined in the Income Tax Act.\u201d \u00a0So, it\u2019s all a matter of interpretation! \u00a0However, there are several major and minor factors that CCRA will take into account when determining residency status:<\/p>\n 1. A House<\/p>\n 2. A Spouse<\/p>\n 3. Children<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to sell your house, but it makes things easier.<\/p>\n If you can rent out the house for enough to cover mortgage and taxes then it\u2019s certainly worth keeping. \u00a0You will likely owe capital gains taxes when you sell the house, as you\u2019re showing CCRA that you\u2019re non-resident. This one was a shocker to me.<\/p>\n If you keep the house, make sure you lease it out to a third party at the going market rate, or better yet, hire a property management company to keep it rented out. \u00a0If you can terminate the lease without significant notice to the lessor, this could be contested by CCRA.<\/p>\n Very simple \u2013 bring them with you! \u00a0IT-221 says that CCRA will deem you to have acquired non-resident status on the latest of<\/p>\n The date you left Canada<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The date your dependents left Canada<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The date you acquire new residency<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n So if possible, bring your entire family with you to your new country. \u00a0Sending back money to Canada to support a family is most certainly a \u201cSignificant Tie\u201d.<\/p>\n There are ten Minor Ties as defined by CCRA for determining your ties to the System. Taken individually, they won\u2019t be a problem, but they can add up to residency if you\u2019re not careful:<\/p>\n Personal Property<\/p>\n When you\u2019re leaving, have a garage sale! \u00a0Sell everything you won\u2019t be taking with you, or give it away. \u00a0Don\u2019t put things in a storage locker. \u00a0Remember \u2013 you aren\u2019t coming back.<\/p>\n Out with the golf club memberships, and change that lodge affiliation to the local chapter.<\/p>\n This is a wide category. \u00a0Obviously you can\u2019t keep your Canadian job, but CCRA also frowns upon keeping Canadian bank accounts and credit cards. \u00a0Even keeping an RRSP puts a little tick mark beside your name.<\/p>\n But why would you want to keep your money in Canada? \u00a0Apart from the increasing value of the Loonie compared to the greenback, there isn\u2019t much reason to keep cash in Canada. \u00a0You get a T5 if you get significant interest income which you have to claim, and the advantage of tax-free growth inside your RRSP is effectively the same as keeping your investments in a low- or no-tax jurisdiction. You will take a significant hit withdrawing your RRSP funds, but you would pay tax on withdrawals inside Canada anyway. Talking to a tax accountant is mandatory if you have all but the smallest RRSP.<\/p>\n As regards the declining value of the US dollar, remember, there are other strong currencies out there. Mutual funds are available that are denominated in the Euro and in Pounds. Once you leave Canada, your options are wide open.<\/p>\n 116: How To Move To Panama Or Use It As Your Plan-B Residency – Expat Money Show’s most watched episode <\/a><\/p>\n Not an issue for Canadians by birth, but could be an issue for others. I\u2019m afraid I know little about this.<\/p>\n Every province in Canada has its own medical insurance system and being originally from Ontario, I know OHIP. \u00a0It\u2019s important to know that once you leave Canada and lose OHIP coverage, there is a 6 month waiting period should you return to Canada. \u00a0This may be a significant issue for those with health issues.<\/p>\n I have mixed feelings on this one. \u00a0I chose to keep my Ontario Drivers License because the Bermuda driver\u2019s license is not a particularly advanced (and therefore secure) identity card. While visiting family last summer, I tried to use the Bermuda license as id for getting into the local casino. When the laughter died down, I was politely asked if I had any other ID. Luckily, I still had my Ontario Driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n If you move to a country with a stronger ID, this may not be an issue for you.<\/p>\n You\u2019re leaving, so why would you keep your car? \u00a0Unless it\u2019s a true collector\u2019s item, sell it. Even if you do decide to move back to Canada, the car will be several years older by then. \u00a0Sell your car.<\/p>\n Cottages can have more sentimental value than even your home. \u00a0One of my closest friends back in Canada has a cottage that was passed down for several generations. \u00a0I can understand why you wouldn\u2019t want to part with a cottage. \u00a0If this is your only minor tie to Canada, you should be fine. \u00a0But to be safe, consider renting it out.<\/p>\n I grumble about this one being on the list \u2013 I don\u2019t plan on ever giving up my Canadian passport. \u00a0No offence to Americans, but I believe Canadians get a warmer welcome in most places around the world than just about any other country. \u00a0And in my case, I have a work permit here in Bermuda, upon which my residency depends. \u00a0I will cover this in a future article, but getting Bermudian citizenship and therefore a Bermudian passport is all but impossible. \u00a0So I\u2019m keeping my passport.<\/p>\n Another tricky one. \u00a0Many people will have pensions tied to memberships in unions or professional organizations. \u00a0Again, this is a minor tie, so if you have to keep it for a good reason, you will not likely run into any problems.<\/p>\n There are also a few extras that CCRA throws into the IT221, such as maintaining a mailing address, a phone directory listing, even having Canadian magazine subscriptions. \u00a0Obviously, the government needs to feed itself, and so CCRA will do its absolute best to keep you a resident in Canada. \u00a0The bulletin also specifies things that CCRA expects to see if you return \u2013 such as establishing residential ties in your new home. \u00a0For that reason, keep copies of bills, and assuming you\u2019re renting, a copy of your lease. If you ever decide to return, having these documents will help to prove your residency in another country.<\/p>\n Escaping from Canada\u2019s tax system can be quite painless as long as you follow the points outlined in this article. \u00a0If you are able to follow the golden rule: Sell everything, close all accounts, and act as if you\u2019re never coming back, you should have no problems. \u00a0Talking to a tax accountant and\/or lawyer is always recommended, as everybody\u2019s situation is a little different.<\/p>\n The opportunities for living and working outside Canada are practically endless. This crazy little country has more than a few stories to tell, and there are excellent job opportunities for people in the insurance and IT fields. If you\u2019re able to broaden your horizons by moving, by all means, do so!<\/p>\n Excerpted from “How I Escaped The Greedy Hands Of The Great White North: Escaping Canada” in Escape From America Magazine, Issue 65.<\/p>\n I hope you enjoyed reading:Living in Bermuda: Escaping Canada and Embracing Bermuda. If you have any questions, please contact<\/b> our office HERE<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n I’ve included some great articles for you to read, enjoy!<\/b><\/p>\n Living in Bermuda: An EscapeArtist Quick Take <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThe Ties that Bind: Major Residential Ties<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The House<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Spouse And The Kids<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Minor Ties<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Social Ties<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Economic Ties<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Landed Immigrant Status Or Canadian Work Permits<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Hospitalization And Medical Insurance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Drivers License<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Car Or Truck<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Cottage<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Canadian Passport<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Union Or Professional Memberships<\/strong><\/h3>\n