I just read the following on the Cdn Snowbird Association web site. So my questions are: do any of my fellow Canadians complete the form & are there any disadvantages to completing the form? What do you do if you have not kept track of all the day trips that you made into the USA in any given year?"Canadian residents who winter in the U.S. are technically subject to U.S. income tax if they exceed a specific number of days (based on a calculation on the form 8840) in the U.S. in any one year.To avoid U.S. taxation, IRS form 8840 (Closer Connection Exemption Statement for Aliens) needs to be filed annually with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service."

Search for 8840 on the forum lots of informationone thread here http://forums.motorhomemagazine.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27792849/gotomsg/27796545.cfm#27796545Search is your friendCLICKY

We fill it out every year on orders from our accountant. Takes five minutes.

It is something that you should fill out, as John and Angela mentions it takes 5 minutes or less, it really is a cover your gluteus maximus, you certainly should not use the don't ask, don't tell as you could be liable for income tax in the US, which I would suggest would be a big disadvantage.

Both my wife and I fill out the 8840 every year. Besides the obvious reason of complying with the laws of a country I am a guest of, there are good reasons to protect youself from incuring taxes on your world income. Here is some info from our residents website http://mycanyonvista.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4

Canadians do you complete USA form 8840 | Good Sam Community

joebedford
Nomad II
Oct 21, 2014
132 days is NOT the total of the last three years. In fact, the number people have been groping for is 122 days! but that number is only relevant if you spend exactly the same number of days in USA every year. You could spend 180 days this year and not be required to submit 8840 if you spent NONE in the previous two years.

You are REQUIRED to submit 8840 if the number of days this year PLUS 1/3 your days last year PLUS 1/6 the previous year is 183 or more. If you spent 122 days each of the last three years the arithmetic gets you to 183 days - 8840 REQUIRED.

It's easy.
lakeside013104
Explorer
Oct 20, 2014
azdryheat wrote:
Don't ask, don't tell.

Hmmmm, integrity in disguise, maybe, maybe not.

Much safer to do the right thing.

Lakeside
Flyboy320
Explorer
Oct 18, 2014
Naysmitj- Fill out form 8840. It`s self explanatory and easy. Read the rules on line and do not rely on "I heard, someone told me"".....type responses. Rules can and do change. Check the appropriate gov`t website for correct info.
We fill the form out and submit it every Apr plus carry a copy in our passports.We keep close watch on the number of days we spend in the USA and never exceed 180 days.
Have had no problems to date.
naysmitj
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
bmerpaw wrote:
Had a very interesting conversation with an IRS manager at a recent SKP rally. According to him, the magic number after all the calculations on 8840 is 132 days. He advised us to fill out the form & by all means send it in to the IRS but anyone with less than 132 days as a final number will not be flagged. As our number over the three years is much less that 132 he advised to fill out the forms & carry them with our passports. Also, the Canadian government is cooperating fully with the US government on this issue.

Is the 132 days the total for the 3 previous consecutive years?
joebedford
Nomad II
Oct 17, 2014
If you have spent over 4 months per year (approx) for the last three years, you MUST fill out 8840. Doesn't mean you will be subject to IRS but you MUST prove a closer connection to another country to avoid IRS. And the IRS doesn't come after you for income earned in USA, it's WORLDWIDE income (how they get away with that is beyond me but that's how it is).

I fill out 8840 AND make sure I never spend over 6 months in a 12 month period in USA.

We've started carrying property tax bills and utility bills after a close friend of ours encountered a border guard who didn't believe their connection to Canada.
bmerpaw
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
Had a very interesting conversation with an IRS manager at a recent SKP rally. According to him, the magic number after all the calculations on 8840 is 132 days. He advised us to fill out the form & by all means send it in to the IRS but anyone with less than 132 days as a final number will not be flagged. As our number over the three years is much less that 132 he advised to fill out the forms & carry them with our passports. Also, the Canadian government is cooperating fully with the US government on this issue.
bjbear
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
her&I wrote:
I assume it is too late to file for 2014. Is the current year based on your date of entry or a calendar year?

It is the calendar year. Although it is too late to file, you might want to do so anyway so you are covered. It will give you practice so you know what info is needed so you don't have any problems filing next year. You need to know the number of days you spent in the US during the past 3 years (2011, 2012, 2013)
homefor2
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
azdryheat wrote:
Don't ask, don't tell.

It Does not work that way. Screw up and you may be paying big bucks to the IRS. They are tracking Canadians.
her_I
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
I assume it is too late to file for 2014. Is the current year based on your date of entry or a calendar year?
bjbear
Explorer
Oct 17, 2014
Both my wife and I fill out the 8840 every year. Besides the obvious reason of complying with the laws of a country I am a guest of, there are good reasons to protect youself from incuring taxes on your world income. Here is some info from our residents website http://mycanyonvista.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4