Canadian Money Forum banner

Filing Foreign Income

2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  AltaRed 
#1 ·
In all of 2016 I was working in Slovakia on a visa. Now I am back in Canada I want to file my taxes, t4 from my previous company (vacation pay from 2015) + foreign income (which i was already taxed on in slovakia

I called CRA with multiple times with different responses, I was told I should get back all my money I paid in Slovak taxes (tax treaty), I was told I might get something back (T2209) and I was told to use an online tax software to see what they calculate.

I am confused. Does anyone have experience filing foreign income? Am I being taxed twice (canadian and local slovak which was already paid)? Which software do you recommend, ufile, turbotax etc?


Any advice would be great, thank you in advance.
 
#2 ·
It is not clear to me whether you were considered a tax resident of Canada for 2016 or Slovakia, nor do I know whether you got a T4 for your Slovakia employment, nor the status of your employment in Slovakia. Cross-border tax issues normally require the expertise of a cross-border tax accountant here in Canada to sort out who gets what of your taxes. If there is a tax treaty between Slovakia and Canada, they generally are set up to avoid most forms of double taxation. I don't think this is something you can sort out on your own. Find yourself a cross-border tax accountant quickly... Time is running out for them to assist you.
 
#3 ·
In all of 2016 I was working in Slovakia on a visa.
Now I am back in Canada I want to file my taxes, t4 from my previous company (vacation pay from 2015) + foreign income (which i was already taxed on in Slovakia ...
Were you working for a Canadian company that had sent you to Slovakia?

I was lucky in that when I worked in the US as the company I worked for included access to their cross-border tax specialists as part of the working outside of Canada benefits.


... I called CRA with multiple times with different responses, I was told I should get back all my money I paid in Slovak taxes (tax treaty) ...
Here is a link to the treaty ... https://www.fin.gc.ca/treaties-conventions/slovak_-eng.asp


Does anyone have experience filing foreign income?
Which software do you recommend, ufile, turbotax etc? QUOTE]

The tax specialists did both the Canada and US tax returns so I am not sure.

I would start with the free tax software though ... http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/rtrn/cmpltng/rprtng-ncm/lns101-170/104/frgn-eng.html
Unless you don't like the interface, it may fit what you want.


I suspect this worth consulting an expert for.


Cheers
 
#4 ·
Thank you for your replies,

I received a T4 from my Canadian employer, I did not reside or work in Canada for all of 2016, the T4 was for banked overtime and vacation pay I had left from 2015.

In Slovakia, I worked for AT&T, all my tax forms are in Slovak, I did not receive a T4 from them.

Sorry for any confusion, thanks again for the comments. I will consult a cross border accountant.
 
#5 ·
Indeed. Given your situation, please consult a cross-border accountant.

Normally you will be able to get a FTC (foreign tax credit) on your Canadian return for any taxes you would have paid in Slovakia (per the tax treaty) but if your taxes that you paid Slovak authorities is higher than what you would have paid if the income you received had been Canadian income, you will won't recover it all. I assume you have a copy of your Slovak tax return? Or at least your pay stubs showing deductions at source? to give to the accountant?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top