catching up on back US taxes as dual citizen

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:37 pm

Hi all,

I'm a born US citizen, and moved to Canada permanently and married a Canadian in 2000. Since then, I haven't paid any US taxes or filed anything with the IRS; I know NOW that I should've done that, but I didn't realize at the time. I was younger, and stupider. I did however faithfully file Canada taxes.

I gained Canadian citizenship in 2006.

Now that I know I should've been filing US taxes, I want to "catch up and make things right." But I'm totally clueless as to where to even start. Can anyone give me a shove in the right direction?

If it helps clarify my situation, I only really earned a real salary in 2007 (until then I was either going to school and not working, or doing odd jobs that barely earned $3,000 a year if I was lucky....my wife has largely been the main wage earner). In 2007 I worked a year as a tech writer; in 2008, we moved to Nova Scotia and started a home-based business. So...no real personal income to speak of on my part except that one year.

Thanks for any help you good folks can provide....I can't believe I was stupid enough to not realize I needed to keep filing with the IRS :( Now I just want to try to untangle whatever mess I've got myself in! :(

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:15 pm

As a followup, separate question:

I had a couple of federal student loans that were in default by the time I quit the US in 2000. Again, being young and stupid, I figured I was basically turning my back on the USA permanently, and thus decided to just focus on building my new life in Canada with my new wife rather than trying to straighten out the defaulted loans.

Now, if I start re-filing tax returns with the IRS, can the US federal government come after me in Canada and pursue those loans?

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:55 pm

[quote="canadave"]
Now, if I start re-filing tax returns with the IRS, can the US federal government come after me in Canada and pursue those loans?[/quote]

Translation: Will the IRS "tattle" to the federal government and tell them my Canada contact information so that the federal government can hound me here in Canada about the loan?

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:54 am

I hope so.

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:50 am

Hey, thanks very much for all your advice. I'm happy to hear there's someone out there who's never made ay mistakes in your life that you needed to try to correct. Cheers, thanks!

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:53 am

Better you try to correct them then be forced to by the IRS, no?

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:56 am

You need to file past 6 years returns. And you need to report the existence of any non-US accounts and RRSPs.

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:00 am

I don't understand why people like you take such pleasure in sneering down at people like me.

I made several mistakes in my life. I was young, stupid, and in love. I left the USA to be with someone I fell in love with in Canada. I didn't know what I was doing. I just knew I wanted to be with her. I didn't think about how I would tie up loose ends. I just went.

I thought that since I basically was "quitting ties" with the USA, then (a) I wouldn't need to file taxes here, and (b) all my loans would basically just "go away", as I'd never be living here again. I had no money, no clue, and it happened. I'm sorry.

Now, I'm starting to try to tie up those ends. I'm trying to get advice here about how to file back taxes with the US so I can do that. I still don't have a lot of money. I want to eventually pay off my debts (I'm working toward that now), but I can't afford to do it right now. I simply want to contact someone to work out payment plans myself, not have the IRS give away my information and have a collection agency start hounding me and my wife (who is innocent of the mistakes I've made) here in Canada.

Hey, whatever. If you feel you need to pass judgment on me feel free. I thought America was supposed to be about mercy and giving people second chances to correct their mistakes, but I guess you've got a different idea about that. Thanks for nothing.

canadave · Post by **canadave** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:02 am

OK, I typed all that before you at least posted some helpful info. It would help if this forum had an edit button. Thank you, I will file the last six years returns.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:13 am

I hadn't answered your original question (since you had made follow-up posts, and the post just below yours was on EXACTLY the same topic, so I thought you had asks question there).

The IRS may get involved since your loans were made under a federal-sponsored program. So, as US taxpayers, you and I should both hope that federal agencies would help each other, especially to retrieve our money. No judgement was made. You owe money. You should pay it, just like all other student loanees.