British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
#16
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
My wife and I will be retiring to the UK next year as well. It's been exciting and stressful at the same time planning everything. Our house is sold and are now renting until the move. Couldn't resist selling in this inflated market and as you say, who knows what tax implication there will be in the future?
Regarding this point: 5) You can keep Canadian Registered Savings plans open but withdrawals will be subject to a 25% withholding tax in Canada. Cash in your Canadian TFSA before you go which would be subject to UK tax.While I am not a tax expert, my understanding it
We plan to keep both our RRSPs in Canada. They continue to grow tax free (in Canada) but there is no longer any contribution room. We will be converting our RRSPs to RRIFs after age 65 and receiving the minimum monthly amount which should be considered a "periodic payment" and not subject to any Canadian withholding taxes. These monthly payments will be considered as income at the UK end. (see https://taxca.com/blog-2016-35/ ) or HERE for the Gov of Canada source (TIP: search the page for "United Kingdom" to find the info more quickly. It should also answer your query regarding point #6,
We have already converted our TFSAs to cash given the rise in the markets. This money will be transferred to the UK and invested in a Stock & Shares ISA to grow tax free in the UK. The UK ISA annual limit is £20,000 ($34,000) compared with Canada's £3,500 ($6,000) yearly TFSA limit.
Hope this helps
Regarding this point: 5) You can keep Canadian Registered Savings plans open but withdrawals will be subject to a 25% withholding tax in Canada. Cash in your Canadian TFSA before you go which would be subject to UK tax.While I am not a tax expert, my understanding it
We plan to keep both our RRSPs in Canada. They continue to grow tax free (in Canada) but there is no longer any contribution room. We will be converting our RRSPs to RRIFs after age 65 and receiving the minimum monthly amount which should be considered a "periodic payment" and not subject to any Canadian withholding taxes. These monthly payments will be considered as income at the UK end. (see https://taxca.com/blog-2016-35/ ) or HERE for the Gov of Canada source (TIP: search the page for "United Kingdom" to find the info more quickly. It should also answer your query regarding point #6,
We have already converted our TFSAs to cash given the rise in the markets. This money will be transferred to the UK and invested in a Stock & Shares ISA to grow tax free in the UK. The UK ISA annual limit is £20,000 ($34,000) compared with Canada's £3,500 ($6,000) yearly TFSA limit.
Hope this helps
Just to confirm my understanding. For registered pensions payments from Canada we will not have to pay tax in Canada but will at our marginal rate in the UK? https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...#_Toc301246865
We plan to cash in our TFSA before we go. We intend to keep our RRSP's for the foreseeable future.
Boy it's stressful but we are really looking forward to returning home. We hope to put our property on the market in early May - we have been delayed for a couple of weeks because we are all self isolating. My son contracted COVID at school.
I have been looking at removal companies and are getting a quote from Crown. Initial estimates from Vancouver Island to Plymouth, UK is $10-14k for a 20ft container and some between $16-23k for a 40ft.
#17
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Joined: Dec 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 32
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
Thanks for the response.
Just to confirm my understanding. For registered pensions payments from Canada we will not have to pay tax in Canada but will at our marginal rate in the UK? https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...#_Toc301246865
Just to confirm my understanding. For registered pensions payments from Canada we will not have to pay tax in Canada but will at our marginal rate in the UK? https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...#_Toc301246865
#18
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Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 46
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
Thanks for the Movecube suggestion. I will most likely sell my house in Toronto. Rent in Buxton in the Uk for 6 months. Then move a minimal amount of possessions if I want to stay in the UK.
#19
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Joined: Nov 2016
Location: Rural BC
Posts: 256
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
Totally, I sent the forms for my wife and I back in January to pay voluntary contributions but not heard anything as yet. I also requested a current statement of NI contribution years for us both online. I received the notification receiving my request, but again no further correspondence. Not sure if this has something to do with delays caused by COVID but I thought we would have heard something by now.
We are bringing our plans to return to the UK forward and will be putting our property on the market asap for a number of reasons, but mainly due to the current hot property market here in Victoria. The UK seems to be doing far better than Canada with the vaccine roll out. My wife and daughter have received their first vaccine being front line health care workers but my son and I will be lucky to get the vaccine by the Fall. This has been a really tough decision for us because our son is just completing grade 11 and we had hoped for him to complete grade 12 before we returned to the UK. We had to weigh up the risks of moving back now or waiting another year. The property market is currently insane in Victoria and starting to overheat, with the UK getting its economy firing again I think there is there is a real financial risk with exchange rates. There are also a few other major concerns with waiting until next year so we have decided to go this year all being well.
We are bringing our plans to return to the UK forward and will be putting our property on the market asap for a number of reasons, but mainly due to the current hot property market here in Victoria. The UK seems to be doing far better than Canada with the vaccine roll out. My wife and daughter have received their first vaccine being front line health care workers but my son and I will be lucky to get the vaccine by the Fall. This has been a really tough decision for us because our son is just completing grade 11 and we had hoped for him to complete grade 12 before we returned to the UK. We had to weigh up the risks of moving back now or waiting another year. The property market is currently insane in Victoria and starting to overheat, with the UK getting its economy firing again I think there is there is a real financial risk with exchange rates. There are also a few other major concerns with waiting until next year so we have decided to go this year all being well.
#20
#21
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
You can set up a direct debit for ACV's so you don't have to go through an annual process, and cancel it in x years when you have sufficient contributions for a full pension.
#22
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
I started drawing my OAP this year and my wife will start drawing hers in November. Since we both will be claiming US SS then the question of WEP comes into play. The amount of OAP applied to WEP depends on the number of years NI contributions are made as a result of paid employment. If you log onto your HMRC account and navigate to the State Pension you can get a list of your NI contributions by year and save this as a PDF as it shows quite clearly the source of each year's contribution. The folks at the Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy told me that when we apply for SS we should have that data on hand. I just saved a PDF copy of my wife's record as she will be applying for SS this year. Her record shows 15 years of voluntary contributions, 6 years from being a stay-at-home parent of a child under school age and 9 years of contributions from paid employment. So for the purposes of the WEP calculation her OAP from employment will be £176.60 * 9/35 per week.
#24
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 106
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
You can estimate your taxes with this calculator
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tax-calculator/
I don’t know how healthcare works in Canada but remember that you will not be paying anything for doctor and hospital visits in the UK. Over age 60 and things like prescriptions and eye tests are also free. Free bus pass also for those receiving their British State pension (OAP) - just got mine this year, works great.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tax-calculator/
I don’t know how healthcare works in Canada but remember that you will not be paying anything for doctor and hospital visits in the UK. Over age 60 and things like prescriptions and eye tests are also free. Free bus pass also for those receiving their British State pension (OAP) - just got mine this year, works great.
Can you not get a bus pass if you don't get British pension? Thanks
#25
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
It depends where you live. In Wales and Scotland a free bus pass comes at age 60, in England it comes when you are eligible for the OAP. Not sure of the rules in NI
#26
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
If you live in a London borough, at age 60 you get free transport on buses, trains, trams & tube across London, including the few tube stations that extend beyond London's border. At retirement age do you get the pass that also includes free national bus travel.
The 60+ free London transport travel is incredibly generous.
The 60+ free London transport travel is incredibly generous.
#27
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
If you live in a London borough, at age 60 you get free transport on buses, trains, trams & tube across London, including the few tube stations that extend beyond London's border. At retirement age do you get the pass that also includes free national bus travel.
The 60+ free London transport travel is incredibly generous.
The 60+ free London transport travel is incredibly generous.
#28
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
My understanding is that everyone can get a bus pass that works nationally from retirement age. I wasn't aware of / had forgotten about the senior railcard - given the cost of train tickets, it could be very worthwhile.
#29
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Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
I think I’m right in saying that the bus pass gives you free bus travel anywhere in England, if you live in England. Not in Scotland, as their scheme is separate. I think a bus pass (for someone who lives in England, outside London) works on some London buses but not others. Complicated. Also, you can supposedly associate it online with your Oystercard, to give cheaper tube travel. I tried to do that but didn’t succeed. (I believe more people now simply use their debit cards to travel on the tube, rather than hold an Oystercard.)
#30
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Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 46
Re: British citizens moving back to UK from Canada to retire
What proof do you need to get a bus pass or a rail card. I am planning to move back to the UK around Christmas. I will be renting for 6 months. Also I need to request that
my British Pension be paid to me in the UK and not into my bank in Canada. Should I call them ahead of time and give them a contact address. Thanks.
my British Pension be paid to me in the UK and not into my bank in Canada. Should I call them ahead of time and give them a contact address. Thanks.