Canadian Paying and claiming taxes in US

Hi,

I have jsut started a new job with a company and was told to get a SSN in the US and they are withholding the following taxes from my paycheck:

Fedral
FICA
Medicare
State Taxes

And when I joined, they asked me to fill out the W4 form.

First question:

1- Being a canadian, is it okay for my employer to withold the above? Or are they withholding more than they should?

2- The W4 specifies how much taxe to withold. Is the W4 form the correct form for canadians to fill out?

3- Which part of the taxes can I claim back when I go back home, to canukland? And how(what forms) and when(how early before I go back) can I do that?

Someone with the insight to this matter please reply. I would really appreciate that.

A

I answer these Q's in deatil at forums.serbinski.com, but quickly:
1. Being Cdn does not absolve you of US tax on US employment income, including FICA. You will pay tax on this income FIRST in US, and then in canada (assuming that you would keep living in canada -- if not then you should be non-resident of canada -- see me at serbinski)
2. Of course. See 1.
3. None. You will either pay a little more if you currently live in canada, or nothing extra, but the US tax calculate dwhen you do your 2011 return will be US tax, kept by them.

Any more info, get from source I mentionned.

Hello thanks for your good response. I am new to this forum and just have a few questions. I am a canadian citizen that moved to the US 2005 on J1 Visa and later have switched to H1 Visa. Since I left I have only been filing Taxes in the US and have not filed any Canadian Taxes, however my wife has been filing her canadian taxes as she returns to Canada often with my kids and is asked to state my income any time she files .She does not work. I returned to Canada for a month in mid 2011 while switching my visa from J to H and during this period worked in a Canadian hospital and was paid over 20K. I am about to file both US and Canadian Taxes for 2011.What would I be required to do.