Albuquerque: clothes, clarinet, couch... that's enough, right?

[terriko]

Technically I'm just visiting since my work visa is messed up (it currently says I was born in 1999, and I'm pretty sure the work visa for 11 year old me isn't going to be valid), but I'm in the new place now to get things set up for when I can move here properly and legally.

Bb Clarinet
by Terriko.

I have a couch to sleep on for now, and internet through my phone, plus my suitcase of clothes, small electronics, and my clarinet. I look forwards to practising in the empty rooms, though I expect it'll be a few days before I can manage to practice for any length of time, given the altitude difference.

I managed to walk to a grocery store yesterday so I've got some basics and crummy disposable dishes. I've been taking stock of stuff this morning and making a list for when I head to kmart or whatever this afternoon. I don't need anything desperately now, but I figure it's good to get out and learn where things are and in the end I have a lot of stuff I need to buy so it's going to take a lot of trips. I can't move any of my stuff from home without the visa, so it's going to be pretty empty for a while.

I have thesis revisions in hardcopy from my supervisor that I got the day I moved out. I had to schlep this through the airport in my messenger bag for fear of losing luggage en route and my sore back and legs are not thanking him for this right now. I plan to start working through those tonight if I'm not too wiped out when I get home from shopping. Altitude change + flights + moving + thesis = tired Terri.

Tomorrow, I think I'll head to the university. I need to deal with the visa paperwork and it'll be nice to work from there with reasonable internet and something to sit on beyond my One True Couch.

Comments

[chutzman]

I just went through more or less the same process moving from Montreal to southern California. If you need any advice at all on the Canada->US stuff, feel free to ask.

You should get an air mattress, Coleman makes some decent ones in standard bed sizes. They are a _lot_ more comfortable than a couch, especially if you get a set of sheets and a decent pillow to go with it. I just slept on one for 5 weeks waiting for the movers to get my things here.

[terriko]

That was the plan, although without a car it's a bit of a pain to pick stuff up in a single trip, so today all I got on the bedding front was the linens (I needed some basic pots and dishes). However, having slept on this couch last night, I'm actually not sure the last air mattress I slept on was any more comfy!

I'm sure I do need advice on Canada->US stuff, but I'm not sure you'll be able to answer the question that's been bothering me the most: how will I do my taxes? I'm in on a J1 visa (or will be, once it's fixed and valid) and it's not clear what taxes I do and don't pay. Plus, I have investments in Canada -- what happens to the taxes on those if I'm not a resident? I suspect I'm going to have to hire an accountant or maybe a lawyer to give me a trustworthy explanation.

[unregisteredpseudonymspls]

You pay federal and state income tax via withholding like anyone else. Next year when you do your return for this year, you use the non-resident federal form to do your federal US taxes, and you'll do so for five tax returns in total before you switch to the resident form---this is usually the outcome of the Substantial Presence Test. After that point, you are a resident for federal tax purposes. There are ways to switch to the resident form earlier if there's a need, but I don't think you'll encounter these. If you make under 10K this year in the USA, there is tax treaty magic, otherwise you don't get very many tax treaty benefits (I got none).

For state purposes, you'll probably be a nonresident in NM for this year's, and a resident for next year if you stay for a fully-satisfactory postdoc. But that's if NM's rules are like Maryland's, and I'd be shocked if they weren't in this regard. The state forms are completely separate and distinct from the federal forms, not unlike Quebec taxes in Canada.

You don't pay US taxes on any Canadian income. But you do technically pay Canadian taxes on US income, because you're a citizen of Canada. There are ways to stop having to do this by getting yourself declared a Canadian nonresident. There are consequences to this (for example you lose OHIP and will have to rely on US insurance when in Canada, which will likely pay but you may have to front the costs yourself). HOWEVER, this is not so bad, because you can deduct the income you paid in taxes in the USA from your Canadian taxes. The only thing for which this does not work is the Ontario health care premium, which does not get reduced even by non-refundable tax credits.

Obviously IANAL, and you might want to get a tax planner. In DC, there were some who handled Canadian expats. I don't know if you'll be so lucky in NM. I did this 95% by myself, after one seminar session the first year I was there. Your US taxes will probably be very simple until you buy property. Filing the federal return electronically is free. Obviously x2, again ask me about anything you need (taxes, health insurance, etc). I have years of experience investigating all these options. It has stood me in good stead as I knew what to look for when moving to .de.

[unregisteredpseudonymspls]

HOWEVER, this is not so bad, because you can deduct the income you paid in taxes in the USA from your Canadian taxes.

By this I meant, the additional amount of taxes you pay in Canada will be very little. For me it was uniformly zero (aside from OHIP) even when I was earning internship money, which was much better paid than TA/RAships!

[unregisteredpseudonymspls]

Oh, just to correct the record, I forgot one thing. It's two years for postdocs before you're a tax resident. See here.