Thousands of Canadians who hold American citizenship will receive stimulus checks despite not living in the United States since they were sent based on recent tax filings, which citizens living abroad still have to complete.
Ontario attorney and accountant Mark Feigenbaum told the National Post that “the U.S. is one of only two countries in the world that tax based on citizenship. So a U.S. citizen, wherever they live in the world, is always subject to U.S. tax, which is different than Canada.”
The stimulus checks sent out in response to the coronavirus pandemic were sent to American citizens who filed taxes in 2018 or 2019 that showed them making less than $75,000 per year if single, and less than $150,000 per year if they’re married.
“I get a couple of pictures of checks every day from clients,” Feigenbaum added. “First of all, they weren’t maybe even aware that they were supposed to get a check, and secondly, that they were even qualified for a check. And then they got a bunch of money.”
“Foreign addresses doesn’t necessarily imply non-Americans. Members of the military and U.S. citizens who live or work abroad would be in that category, along with non-citizens who may have, for tax purposes, U.S. resident alien status,” IRS spokesman Eric Smith told the Post in an email.
“The domestic numbers likely also include resident aliens, and Canadians are likely in both the domestic and foreign categories,” he added.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.