Reasons Canadians need to consider relocating to the Keys

MARATHON, Fla. - Feb. 9, 2016 - PRLog -- Per Brenda Alexander, Broker/Associate at Remax and owner of KeysIslandSales.com in Marathon Florida,"The Florida Keys is a place on the bucket list of many people. Not only as a place to visit, but as a place to settle down and live. Why? This is down to the warm climate and the very stress free way of life. The people and culture try to make life enjoyable and accept people as they are. This is the reason that so many Canadians choose it as their vacation place each year.

The Florida Keys are full of tropical breezes, and have some of the most impressive sunrises you will ever see anywhere around the world. One of the things that Canadians love about it is the pleasant climate every day of the year.

After just a few trips to the Keys, many Canadians consider a permanent move, as they can imagine living there 365 days of the year. It is a major departure from the cold, northern climate.

To make the relocation a reality, there are a few things that should be considered first.
Here is the process in the nutshell:

Passports, Green Cards, and Naturalization

A Canadian can legally remain in the USA for six months of the year, but this is far from permanent status. As such, if you want to relocate you will need to apply for a green card, which is not difficult (providing you have a job with a US firm, or have a family member in the USA).

If you want to become a citizen of America, you will need to go through the process of naturalization. Once you have that, and if you live in Florida for five years in a row, you will be an official US citizen.

Your RRSP

Once you have moved to Florida Keys, it is a good idea to collapse your RRSP, but you will need a lawyer to make the process easier. You should talk about the pros and cons of collapsing your RRSP after moving to the States. Overall, you will gain a tax advantage by taking this step, and it is better to do it before you move.

Departure Tax

You should be aware of the Canadian departure tax, so it is good to talk to your lawyer about this. You should also have a financial plan created for the moving time, as this will be able to indicate whether or not you are subject to departure tax.

Moving

It is very wise to talk to a real estate agent in the Keys. There are many that have a lot of experience with relocating moves, and these people are very valuable as you will need to move your belongings (which is expensive and stressful).

Find a number of professional moving companies. If you have many valuables then you need to find some good recommendations. Find a number of estimates and don't just go for the cheapest, as your valuables are very important to you.

Saving Money

You will save a lot of money each year by moving to the Keys. This is because there is no income tax in Florida. Their property taxes are much lower than in Canada too, so you will save even more.