1.09.2005

"don't move to canada, move to [your state here]"

This is pretty funny. If you search for "move to Canada" on the web, you'll find various blogs and essays imploring you to move to Ohio, Iowa, Oregon and other battleground states.

Hey, yeah. Instead of compiling my life savings, spending $2,500 in fees, filling out a zillion forms, waiting for more than a year and uprooting my entire life, I think I'll just pack up and move to Ohio. That way, my one vote (if counted) can help the state go Democrat in 2008. Why didn't I think of that sooner!

I feel like Lewis Black here. "Funny, last time I looked, Oregon, Ohio and Iowa were still PART OF THE UNITED STATES!"

11 comments:

allan said...

Me?

Anonymous said...

Good article you should enjoy...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050110/COADAMS10/TPComment/TopStories

laura k said...

Hi! Can you send me all or part of the text? Most G&M columns are pay-only online. I check out the site every day, but $14.95/month is a little high for a newspaper subscription, IMO.

Anonymous said...

I e-mailed you the article!

laura k said...

Thank you, it's excellent. I'll be blogging with it later today. :)

allan said...

One other problem:

Ohio is in Ohio!!

As Ogden Nash would say: No thonx.

Kyle_From_Ottawa said...

Something occured to me which I think you should know.

Credit histories disapear when you go across the border (at least that was the case 10 years ago when we moved to the states). It might be different now, since the same companies are now used on both sides of the border.

However, I'd check it out. If it's still true, I'd leave at least one credit card account open in NYC until you build up a history in Canada.

laura k said...

Kyle, you are a wealth of information. This is very good to know. I might as well maintain a US-based credit card, since it's easy to do and accepted everywhere, and keep my credit intact. As always, thank you!

Kyle_From_Ottawa said...

A few other notes:

- You have to live in Ontario for four months before you can apply for OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). Travel medical might be able to cover you for the gap.

- OHIP gives pretty much zip coverage outside of Canada. When you visit home, take out travel medical insurance.

- Cheques generally aren't accepted anywhere in Canada except certified cheques for large purchases (i.e. car, house). Canada got on the debit card bandwagon long before the states did.

- Canada uses a different and incompatible debit card system called Interac. You can use U.S. Visa & Mastercard based debit cards in Canada but the reverse isn't true. Canadian bank cards will work in American ATMs, but some Canadian ATMs can dispense U.S. cash which works out better when you make trips home. Credit cards though usually give the best exchange rate.

- $100 bills generally aren't accepted anywhere. A counterfeit ring managed to produce a lot of fake $100s, so stores stopped taking them. However, a new $100 bill just entered circulation, so they may take the new bill.

- You might want to start an RRSP when you get here. It's sort of the equivalent to a 401K, and you can contribute up to a certain amount (specified in your tax package each year) tax free. Also, if you choose to buy a house sometime, because you'd technically be a first-time homebuyer you can withdraw up to $20000 tax free (as long as its put back in your RRSP within 30 years). That's for each of you, so you could in theory withdraw $40000. Also, whichever one of you makes more can save a little more on taxes if you pay into your spouses RRSP (but I don't really know the details on how that works).

- If you do consider a house at some point, mortgages aren't tax deductible in Canada (but there's no capital gains tax when you sell the house).

- You have 15 more days to procrastinate on income taxes here, they're due April 30th instead of the 15th.

Kyle_From_Ottawa said...

Oh, and if you ever win the lottery or something, that's tax free. Winnings and gift money aren't taxed.

laura k said...

Great stuff. Some I knew, some I didn't. I'm going to post this for other Americans who are making the move. (Quite a few are reading this blog now!)