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Whether you are a US citizen living in Canada, a Canadian with US income, or a business owner with operations on both sides of the border, working with a cross-border accountant ensures your obligations to both the CRA and the IRS are handled correctly. Samer Tohme, CPA, provides cross-border tax consulting and cross-border tax preparation services to individuals and businesses in Ottawa and Toronto, so the complexity of the two tax systems never falls entirely on your shoulders. That includes navigating FBAR reporting requirements, applying the Canada-US tax treaty to reduce double taxation, and determining which foreign tax credits apply to your specific filing situation — details that a single-country accountant is not positioned to address. Schedule a Free Consultation to get started.
A cross-border tax accountant for Ottawa and Toronto looks at both sides of the border at once. FBAR covers the non-US financial accounts of US citizens and green card holders, including their Canadian bank accounts, while Form T1135, the Foreign Income Verification Statement, is Canada’s mirror obligation. Canadian residents holding specified foreign property with a total cost over $100,000 CAD at any point in the year must file it with the CRA. For a US citizen living in Canada, that often means FBAR for Canadian accounts and T1135 for US holdings. Both reports can apply to the same person in the same year, and Tohme Accounting reviews the two obligations together as part of US tax filing for cross-border clients and personal tax planning. Schedule a Free Consultation to confirm which foreign reporting obligations apply to you.
Generally, yes. US citizens are required to file a US return based on citizenship, regardless of where they live or whether they earn US-source income. Green card holders are subject to US tax on their worldwide income for as long as they hold that status. This is one of the most common points of confusion in cross-border tax situations, and getting it wrong can create compliance gaps with the IRS. Working with a cross-border accountant in Ottawa or Toronto means your obligations to both governments are reviewed together.
A regular accountant is trained in one country’s tax system. A cross-border tax accountant understands both Canadian and US tax law, including how the Canada-US tax treaty applies to your situation, and how to structure your filing so the same income is not taxed twice. Samer Tohme, CPA, works with clients in Ottawa and Toronto who have tax responsibilities on both sides of the border. Cross-border tax preparation requires a dual-country scope. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation.
Form T1135, the Foreign Income Verification Statement, applies to Canadian residents whose specified foreign property has a total cost amount over $100,000 CAD at any point during the year. The threshold is based on cost, not fair market value. It is a separate obligation from the US FBAR, though the same person can trigger both in the same year. Tohme Accounting reviews these requirements together so the Canadian and US sides are addressed as one coordinated picture.
When people ask how to file Form T1135 in Canada, the answer is that it is filed for the same tax year as your T1 personal return and submitted alongside it, but it remains a distinct form with its own reporting details rather than a schedule of the return itself. When the $100,000 CAD cost threshold applies to a client, Tohme Accounting prepares Form T1135 as part of that year’s annual filing, keeping the reporting consistent with the T1.
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