My spouse lives in the USA and I live in Quebec. Do I have to report her income? Does she have to file a Canadian tax return?

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
April 12, 2025
1 reply
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I am here on a temporary work visa i.e. I am not a permanent resident or citizen.

TurboTaxAniqua

No, you do not need to file your spouse's return with the CRA if they are not a resident of Canada and do not have a Social Security number. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) does not require you to file your non-resident spouse's tax return. However, you do need to report their income on your tax return, particularly if you are claiming the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). This information is needed to determine your family's net income for the CCB.

Guide to Claiming a Non-Resident Spouse and Dependants ...

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wilensky-michaelAuthor

Thank you that's very helpful!

The TurboTax software does not let me proceed unless I enter her net income "as reported on line such and such on her federal return. [paraphrasing]" Since she does not have a federal return, I am unsure what to put on this line. There are actually two lines that need to be entered, one before certain adjustments and one after. I cannot put $0.00 in either of these boxes since her net income in other boxes (like "her net income while I was living in Canada during 2024") is nonzero.

How should I enter this information? Should I just put her net income for the entire year in both boxes corresponding to where her federal return entry would go?

TurboImpotVeronique

@wilensky-michael You must enter the net income of your spouse. This will be used by federal and provincial governments to determine which credits/deductions you are eligible for.

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