Americans living in Canada get an automatic extension to June 15 for filing and paying, though interest runs from April 15. Form 4868 extends filing to October 15, and the FBAR has its own automatic extension to October 15.
Lou is a tax-preparation tool, not a tax advisor. This article explains general rules for US citizens and green card holders who live in Canada. A date that falls on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day. For advice on your situation, work with a qualified tax professional.
Canada has its own filing calendar. The US one is different. Here is how the US dates work for someone who lives in Canada.
The dates#
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| April 15 | Standard due date for Form 1040. Interest on any tax owed starts here. |
| April 15 | FBAR due date, with an automatic extension to October 15. |
| June 15 | Automatic extension for filing and paying if you live outside the US on April 15. Attach a statement saying you qualify. |
| June 15 | Form 3520 for people abroad, if you need one (for example for a TFSA). |
| October 15 | Extended filing date if you filed Form 4868 by June 15. Also the extended FBAR date. |
June 15 and interest#
Living abroad gives you until June 15 to file and pay, but interest on tax owed still runs from April 15. Many Americans in Canada owe no US tax thanks to the foreign tax credit, so the payment date matters less for them. If you do owe, paying early limits the interest.
Form 4868#
Form 4868 extends the filing date to October 15. It does not extend the time to pay. File it by June 15 if you live abroad and need more time.
The FBAR#
The FBAR is separate from your return. It is due April 15 with an automatic extension to October 15, and you do not need to ask for it. It is filed only through FinCEN, not with the IRS.
Late returns and missed years#
If a due date has passed with no return filed, penalties and interest can build up. The IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures let people who live abroad catch up on the last three years of returns and six years of FBARs, if the failure was not willful. See catching up on missed years.
TFSA and Form 3520#
TFSA and FHSA holders may need Forms 3520 and 3520-A. Form 3520 is due April 15, or June 15 if you live outside the US on that date, with a statement saying so. See the TFSA guide and the FBAR guide.
Where Lou fits#
Lou prepares the return and the information forms, and the worksheet for your FBAR. You file them yourself. For catch-up filing, Lou works out which years are in the window from today's date and asks about an extension when it matters.
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