Aaaaahhhhhhh. What would you suggest for people setting up startups setup as a general structure before everything getting properly started to avoid things like the 6 million dollar domain name headache after your MVP has some traction, but not 'too much' traction. Assume it's the typical SaaS/software business.
If you're a nonresident of the United States, own the domain name as a human. If you have a company formed outside the United States, that can be an owner, too.
For the IP you develop, start with the assumption that whoever pays for the work to be done = owner. The humans working on the code should be employees of the company outside the United States, or independent contractors working for the company outside the United States. This is the "work for hire" idea.
If you've done things wrong, it's better to fix it while the company is still growing and not too profitable. If there is a tax problem it won't be too big. After all, what is the value of a domain name for a typical SaaS situation when it's only making a few thousand a month at the moment? Not much.
The future lies ahead, etc. etc., but at the moment the assets (and code) could reasonably be valued at approximately what you paid to develop them. If you spent $50,000 to get to this point and you're at break-even, arguably the value of the domain name and all of your code and your traction so far is close to $50,000. You're selling for what you spent to buy the asset. Zero tax.
Second thought. Completely unrelated but it comes up again and again and again.
If you're here in the USA and you have an RRSP in Canada, be sure you file Form 8891 to make it tax exempt in the USA. If you're living in California guess what -- the earnings inside your RRSP are tax free on your US income tax return (Form 1040) but your RRSP earnings are taxable in California (Form 540).
Also don't forget Form TD F 90-22.1 -- the dreaded FBAR form. You're living here in the USA, so you're a resident and obliged on pain of death (I only slightly exaggerate) to disclose all of your foreign financial accounts. That means all of your Canadian accounts including RRSPs if you have them.
Canada <---> USA is kind of like Frying Pan <---> Fire in terms of income tax. There is a really good income tax treaty between the two countries that will eliminate a lot of little wrinkles.
For the moment, stick with the TN. It means that you can easily exit the USA and eliminate exposure to US taxes if you need to.
To be honest, an iPhone is too expensive for most of the developing world. Rarely anyone has an iPhone in thailand, and they're looked as luxury items like a luxury car.
I think someone is working on a thunderbolt -> USB3 + more hub. I personally can't wait until the next gen macbook airs have thunderbolt and hopefully usb3. There would be finally a way to transfer data to/from them in a quick way, their biggest flaw currently. It would also allow me to have a two connection laptop dock too.
Computing may be sufficiently advanced when the biggest thing I am looking forward to is not having to plug in both my display and USB connector when I sit down at my office.
Considering it cost about $2-$3 to create and ship the hardcover book to amazon, depending on amazon's cut of the kindle book, the publisher might be making more money on the hard cover.
Higher Taxes. Quebec has generally higher taxes vs. the rest of canada, and places like washington have no state income tax. Also the locations it could be comparing could be downtown metro area's and their costs. 3km away from the downtown core and you get a huge drop in price.
If your a non-us citizen, you do this by just moving things to a jurisdiction that doesn't have capital gain and estate taxes. The US is unique that they'll tax you even if you are not resident in the country anymore.
