Moving Abroad? Don’t Let the CRA Haunt You

Expert tax and financial planning for Canadians relocating abroad—before, during, and after the move.

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You Can Leave Canada—But Your Taxes Might Not

The rules for leaving Canada can be overwhelming. You might be asking:

  • How do I file my departure tax return?
  • What happens to my TFSA, RRSP, CPP or corporation?
  • Will I still owe Canadian taxes while I’m abroad?
  • How do I avoid double taxation or CRA audits?
  • Is there a way to legally reduce the taxes I owe before and after I leave?

We get it.

The rules around non-residency, deemed dispositions, and foreign reporting are extremely complicated, especially if you have assets in Canada or a business.

106,134
Canadians in 2024 permanently left the country, marking the highest emigration rate since 1967.
42%
of new Canadians are considering leaving the country altogether, driven by factors such as the surging cost of living.
Make Your Exit from Canada Count
I’m Christopher Liew, founder of Blueprint Financial, and we’re here to help you leave Canada with confidence.


Moving abroad isn’t just about booking a flight. It comes with major tax implications, financial decisions, and long-term planning that most people overlook. That’s where we step in.

We’ve helped many Canadians leave the country with confidence, and our team includes Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) and Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs) experienced in expat tax law and investment strategy. 

Our Head of Canada Exit Planning is Obed Maurice, a dual-designated CPA in both Canada and the U.S., with over 15 years of experience. He’s a cross-border tax strategy and wealth planning expert, helping Canadians reduce taxes and build long-term financial success as they move abroad.

Whether you’re unsure about what to do with your TFSA, how to avoid departure tax surprises, or how to protect your assets abroad, we’ll guide you through it.

Leave Canada With Confidence

Reduce Tax Burden

Pay what you owe, not a dollar more.

We’ll help you navigate departure tax, withholding tax, and international treaties to keep more of your wealth.

Stay Compliant, Stay Protected

Avoid costly CRA mistakes.

We’ll help you report your assets, file your departure return, and follow the exact steps the CRA requires when you leave Canada.

Gain Financial Clarity

Know exactly what to do with your Canadian accounts and assets.

We’ll build a custom exit plan that works for your goals, timeline, and destination.

How Our Process Works

Step 1: Book a Free Discovery Call

Let’s connect for a 30-minute Zoom call to talk about your move abroad. We’ll cover your goals, review your current financial situation, and flag any potential tax risks, like departure tax, registered accounts, or corporate holdings. You’ll also get a clear recommendation on which package and pricing fits your needs. Book your free discovery call here.

folder_type_blueprint_opened Step 2: Build Your Canada Exit Plan

If you choose to move forward, we’ll assign a cross-border financial planner and send over a welcome email with a short intake form and service agreement. Once payment is complete, we’ll meet to review your accounts, assets, and destination-specific tax rules. Over the next 2–4 weeks, we’ll create a tailored exit plan that covers compliance, tax-saving strategies, and investment transitions.

Step 3: Your Blueprint Delivered

We’ll present your personalized exit plan in a 1–2 hour Zoom session, complete with a detailed PDF and next steps. You’ll walk away with clarity on what to do, what to avoid, and how to protect your wealth after you leave Canada. We also include follow-up support, depending on your package.

Our Packages and Pricing

Canada Exit Discovery Call
Perfect if you’re just starting to think about moving abroad. We’ll walk through your situation at a high level, flag the biggest risks, and help you understand if you need deeper planning or just a bit of guidance.
$0
(Free Discovery Call)

What You’ll Get:

A chance to share your plans and goals
A high-level overview of what you might need to consider for your move
A walkthrough of how our services work and whether we’re a good fit
Clarity on whether you need a full plan or paid hourly advice
Canada Exit Blueprint
If you’ve already done some research and need clear answers or a second opinion, this 1-on-1 session is for you. We’ll walk through your move, flag key tax issues, and help you avoid costly mistakes.
Starting at $250*

*(One-time fee. You’ll get a clear quote in a proposal before we begin.)
Call with a cross-border tax and financial planning expert
Guidance on RRSPs, TFSAs, pensions, corporations, and property
Departure tax strategy basics and next steps
Personalized answers to your questions
Optional coordination with our CPA for deeper tax support
Follow-up support if you need more help later

Testimonial

“When I decided to move to Portugal, I had no idea how to handle the tax side or what to do with my business. Chris, Obed, and the Blueprint team answered all my questions about departure tax and the sale of my assets. They took care of everything with my taxes and investments and it saved me so much time and money.”
Edward Wheeler
Entrepreneur now living in Portugal
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

FAQs

Yes! It’s better late than never. We can still review your situation and reduce future risks.

We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of keeping or collapsing these accounts based on your destination and tax treaty.

Not necessarily. It depends on your residency status and income sources. We’ll help you avoid paying taxes unnecessarily.

We specialize in helping business owners manage or wind down corporations tax-efficiently before or after departure.

We’ll guide you through departure tax, retained earnings, and key filings to ensure your exit is compliant and minimizes tax.

Yes, we can help. Even without a corporation, there are still key tax steps when leaving Canada, like reporting business income properly and closing out GST/HST accounts. We’ll walk you through everything to ensure a clean, compliant exit.

Your plan will be led by Obed Maurice, our Head of Canada Exit Planning—a dual-designated CPA in both Canada and the U.S. Depending on your destination, we also coordinate with other CPAs and financial specialists who understand the local tax laws in the country you’re moving to.

You’ll also work with Simon Wong, CFP® with an MBA in accounting, who is our lead financial planner for international moves. Simon is often the first point of contact for your strategy session and helps guide clients through the financial planning side of their transition.

Chris Liew, the founder of Blueprint Financial and a CFA Charterholder, oversees every plan behind the scenes. He also steps in for complex investment strategies given his strong background in that field.

Ready to Get Started?