How CPP Impacts Your Spouse’s U.S. Social Security Benefit

Recently, I got a pretty basic question on the website. Well, what seemed basic enough. Does WEP also apply to a Canadian who lived in the US, never  worked in the US, but collects Social Security spousal benefits due to…

The 5 Biggest Cross-Border Planning Mistakes to Avoid In 2022

Sheila was advised by her U.S. based financial planner to withdraw her RRSP, and bring it to the U.S. She thought it was a reasonable request.  At only $100,000, the RRSP represented only a small part of her total retirement…

Qualifying For U.S. Social Security, Canada CPP and OAS (Totalization Agreement)

In 1984, the U.S. and Canada finalized an agreement that allows a person to qualify for both U.S. Social Security and Canadian retirement benefits. This made it easier for people who worked in both countries to qualify for retirement benefits…

Social Security Strategies When You Also Have a Canadian Pension

If you worked in both the U.S. and Canada, there is a good chance that you will have both U.S. social security and a Canadian pension. Unfortunately, this brings an added wrinkle regarding when you should turn on each benefit.…

Taxation of Your RRSP, RRIF, CPP, and OAS in the U.S.

Many retirement accounts, different country pensions, exchange rates, and multiple tax rates. Working both in the U.S and Canada sure does make things complicated. However, if you are retiring here in the U.S., your tax situation is much more favorable…