Tax Question
 

I moved to Canada on dec 2010 on a vistor visa and then in April i got marrired to a Canadian wife and we applyed for sponsership i returned back to England to work in October i came came back in Jan 2012

How will this affect my wife taxes as she normally gets a good amount

Re: Tax Question
 

Good amount of what, taxes?

Re: Tax Question
 

Yea sorry meant she gets a good amount of taxes back

Re: Tax Question
 

That's not good, paying too much tax and giving the govt an interest free loan. Personally I always hope to owe taxes, that way I kept more of my money for longer.

Re: Tax Question
 

Right - but it depends on how you operate. Some people don't have the money to pay their tax bill at the end of the year so they look upon paying too much tax (and then getting a tax refund) as mitigation against that possibility. As you say, it's an interest free loan to the government but many people would rather do that than be caught out owing money they don't have (because they've spent it on something else). It all comes down to financial planning and discipline and how much you have of each.

Re: Tax Question
 

If she was present for less of the tax year, then it would follow that she might not have earned as much and therefore paid as much tax. So any refund could be diminished. She won't know for sure until she completes her tax return.

Re: Tax Question
 

She is Canadian and been here all her life, think we will have to go and see some 1 about it

Re: Tax Question
 

She will indicate that she is married as of 12/31/2011 and give the date of marriage. She will also show your earnings for the year.

Without knowing more I can't say for certain but it is unlikely that getting married will change much for her income taxes.

Re: Tax Question
 

She won't get a tax refund just because she's Canadian. Plenty of Canadians OWE taxes at the end of the year. Whether she gets a tax refund or not depends only on how much tax she paid and how much she should have paid. If she paid more than she should have, she'll get a refund of the difference. Otherwise she won't.

Re: Tax Question
 

Bloody hell. You're a taxation genius.

Re: Tax Question
 

So why not tuck that 'extra tax' away in an ING account, get a little interest and its a bonus at the end of the year if you don't need to pay the tax. It's not that hard, way better than giving money to the govt at no cost.

Never can understand why people get excited about getting their own money back from the government at tax time.

Re: Tax Question
 

I agree that makes financial sense. But not everyone can operate that way. Some people will take that money and spend it for whatever reason and then be caught short when the tax bill is due.

Re: Tax Question
 

Not at all!

It would seem, all else being equal, that the OP's wife is likely looking at a reduced refund simply because she's been absent for part of the tax year (so she paid less tax).

Also is the standard deduction prorated to account for absences? If so, she could also be affected by this - assuming she claims the standard deduction. I seem to remember getting hit with that one on my first Canadian tax return many years ago.