Cross-border tax, clarified.
Polaris Tax Counsel is a cross-border tax law firm. Our lawyers help businesses, investment funds, and individuals navigate tax issues that span the Canada-US border. Our expertise allows us to chart a course through the most complex issues our clients face. We’ve written four books, a variety of technical articles and are routinely asked to instruct a variety of audiences on cross-border tax issues.
Cross-border Tax Services
Tax Advice for U.S. Citizens in Canada
Renouncing U.S. Citizenship
Cross-border Estate Planning
Dealing with the IRS
Cross-Border Corporate Tax Planning
Supporting Accounting Firms
Our Cross-border Team
Max Reed
B.C.L., LL.B.
Principal
Cross-border Tax Lawyer
Max is the firm’s principal. He has published widely and developed a number of novel solutions to complex problems.
Charmaine Ko
J.D., LL.M. (US Tax)
Principal
Cross-border Tax Lawyer
Charmaine is a cross-border tax lawyer who leads the tax practice for Canadian resident US citizens.
Kirsten Wharton
J.D.
Principal
Cross-border Estate Lawyer
Kirsten helps families with cross-border tax issues to ensure that their long-term goals are being met.
Dan Palmer
J.D.
Principal
Corporate and Tax Lawyer
Dan is a corporate and tax lawyer who helps business owners operate in the most tax-efficient way possible.
Erin van Wesenbeeck
J.D.
Cross-border Tax Advisor
Erin advises on a wide range of cross-border tax issues for individuals and businesses in the US and Canada.
Amanda Chen
Paralegal
Amanda assists with drafting documents for clients in a variety of areas from corporate law to estate planning.
Janelle Prestley
Legal Administrative Assistant
Janelle assists with client intake, appointment scheduling, invoicing,and collections.
What’s New
Will John Tavares have Double Tax Trouble?
NHL player John Tavares’ well-publicized litigation pending before the Tax Court of Canada demonstrates the principle that resolving cross-border tax disputes in a purely domestic fashion can be problematic. The facts of the case are straightforward and worth discussing briefly. Before getting...
An update on the US Net Investment Income Tax for US citizens in Canada
For many US citizens who are resident in Canada, the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) is the only US tax they pay every year. Without a foreign tax credit or exemption, the imposition of the NIIT results in double taxation since the investment income is also subject to tax in Canada. This article...
Canadian tax changes double the tax exposure for Canadian private companies with US subsidiaries
In the April 2022 federal budget, the Canadian government proposed significant changes to the Canadian international tax rules (specifically the “foreign accrual property income” or “FAPI” rules).