Any way for wife to get tax credits for US college?

mrkwkkrn · Post by **mrkwkkrn** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:39 pm

Hi guys

I am just curious about this. My wife and I are both Canadian citizens, and we went to the same college in the US. I graduated in 2006, she in 2007.

I returned to Canada after 4 years of school, and when I started working, I got tax credits for basically ALL of the tuition I paid.

My wife stayed in the US though (she is a dual citizen), and didn't work in Canada after school. Some of her loans were Canadian student loans though.

Any chance these tax credits would be sitting there, waiting for her up in Canada?

Mark

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:28 am

I assume that you got credit because you continued throughout this time to file a Cdn tax return, since you remained a Cdn tax resident. What was your US immigration status during college?

Did she continue to file in Canada during those years? Or did she stop because she was a US citizen.

mrkwkkrn · Post by **mrkwkkrn** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:29 am

While I was in Canada I was on an F1 student visa, and a resident of Canada.

I am not sure if she filed in Canada, I am guessing if she did she would have been claimed as a dependent of her father. He had moved to the US when she started college though as well, so he probably only filed an exit return.

Does that help at all?

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:10 am

So, like you, her tuition credits (if they were not already used by someonelse claiming her as a dependent) are still there for the taking, when and if she ever returns to Canada.

mrkwkkrn · Post by **mrkwkkrn** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:59 am

hmm do these expire? Could I call the CRA and see if they have anything on file for her?

Is there any way this could harm us or make us pay more in back taxes? She hasn't lived in Canada since 2003.

You guys are great!
Mark

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:22 am

It is doubtful if she would have to pay back taxes. Like I said, wshe probably didn't need to file in canada while out of the country because, unlike you, she was considered US resident.

She did not have to keep filing to maintain these credits, but she would have hasd to keep the documantation.

Again, you did it, so she would have to do what you did -- when and if she moves back to Canada.