Recent content by canuckinla

We had U-Pack email us the necessary custom clearance forms and presented the forms to customs when we crossed The border. You can also have a relative clear the goods on your behalf. They would need the clearance forms and a letter from you authorizing them to clear the goods. Remember you will...

We moved from Los Angeles to Victoria last month and used U-Pack for moving. They quoted approx. $2750 including higher insurance coverage for 2 pods from our home in LA to their terminal in Surrey. The pods arrived in BC ahead of schedule and we were able to clear it through customs when we...

I’ve rolled over my 401(K) into an IRA. I plan to leave the account in the US but switch to a broker who would allow me to actively manage it as a Canadian resident.

You don't need to inform anyone once you've completed quarantine. My wife and I completed our quarantine on Monday this week. We got a call from someone checking up on us. We were informed on the call that we will be free to move around once we've completed our 14 day isolation.

It is possible to apply for SIN online using a foreign address. You will need to provide proof of your foreign address.

You can apply for SIN online and upload supporting documents to verify your identity.

After completing my wife's soft landing last year we are planning to return to Canada to settle early next month. We will be crossing the border at Pacific Highway, completing the vehicle export/import and heading directly to Tsawwassen to board BC Ferries to Schwartz Bay on Vancouver Island. We...

Thanks for you response. The question really is whether a family member or customs broker can clear personal effects on my behalf.

What's the protocol for clearing personal items (goods to follow) from customs? The freight forwarder told me I would have to show up in person at the customs office (Peace Arch) and clear the goods. Obviously this would need to be done after the 14 day quarantine. I'm trying to have the goods...

Hey all, Looking for experience from others who have established residence in BC during the COVID crisis. How have you gone about applying for your SIN, driver license, MSP etc? Can everything be done online, by mail? What government offices are open to assist in obtaining these services? My...

I’ve been looking into brokers who could handle my IRA and non-retirement accounts. Currently I’m with Fidelity too. Looking at moving the assets to TD Ameritrade. They don’t appear to place restrictions on trading US equity markets.

Tax is applicable on items of value in excess of $10K. Also you need to have declared the vehicle on your GTF list.

I declared my wife's wedding ring along with her watch she was wearing at the time. However, it wasn't necessary. If the jewelry appears expensive or you are wearing lots of it, it would be prudent to declare it to avoid issues.

If you have many items of jewelry and/or the items appear expensive it's best to declare it along with an appraisal. Any item over $10,000 is taxable. We had to remove the jewelry from the GTF list as we had not included photos or appraisals for it. Having an appraisal is important.

I have personally used TransferWise. Their fees depend on the amount transferred but the exchange rate is far better than what banks offer.