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Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

If you wish to collect GST/HST Amazon.ca requires a "Federal Registration Number". A Federal Registration Number is a Business Number. Business Numbers are used by the CRA to identity businesses in Canada. Business Numbers are unique and you are only able to have one per person / entity. You can get more Business Numbers by forming multiple corporations.

I understand Amazon.com requires tax ID after $20,000 sales / 200 items and theres likely a similar requirement for Amazon.ca so taxes are an inevitable situation for all stealth accounts.

If I did register a corporation for a new Business Number and I update my stealth account this may trigger an account review. Amazon may request new documentation including information pertaining to my new Business Number which could include: Copies of my business registration (could be articles of incorporation) which will include my name (wont be my stealth name) as an officer, director, or shareholder of the company. Amazon may also request a complete list of officers, directors, or shareholders along with their ID (passport, etc) as proof of identity. The corporation will be under my legal name which is linked to my suspended account. If I give Amazon any of these documents they will see this and notice the discrepancy. Amazon can also search the Business Number using a public database which will reveal this info as well: https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/cc/Corp...l?locale=en_CA :noidea:

Amazon can easily see that a stealth account is not part of the corporation and a suspended name (mine) is. So investing in a corporation while prudent may be futile in the end. This would result in a very expensive error both in time, money and resources (~$400 fee to register Federal Canadian Corporation, $1000 / year corporate accounting filling fees, ~$1400 total) X 2 = $2800 :smash:

Taxes are inescapable situation for us all. If its not now, it will be once you reach your account limit and Amazon demands tax information. I am thinking heavily about how to structure my business and stealth accounts to stand the test of time while legally collecting taxes.

Canadian Stealthers, what has been your experience with tax collection? What unique hurdles have you experienced and how have you overcome it?
What legal structure is your biz based on, ie Corporation, Partnership, Sol P.? How many times have you changed your Federal Registration Number and has this resulted in any sort of Amazon audit / investigation? Has Amazon requested additional documents pertaining to taxes or proof of incorporation? Were you able to overcome this? What advice / suggestions / guidance do you have? How should I proceed with my stealth accounts pertaining to their Business Number? Will Amazon request additional documents if I form corporations and update the Business Numbers?

Thanks Guys ;)

There are only two things certain in life: death and taxes

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

I want to know as well. Anyone experienced regarding this matter?

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Just like you, fellow Canadians, I'm scratching my head over the same problem - how to use Canadian companies to create stealth seller accounts.

In theory, shareholders / owners data for provincial corps is not easily searchable, so that is one of the options.

I'm looking to sell on .com, not .ca, so GST problem becomes non-relevant, however, the following is my main concern:

"Companies/Corporations need to submit a color-copy government-issued photo identification document for the primary contact or beneficial owner as well." I have found posts on Seller Forums and over internet with this request from Amazon dated back to October - November 2017, so I'm not sure if it's still relevant today.

What are your thoughts?

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

^Ive talked to some other forum members from Canada who have used Canadian corps for their accounts and they were never asked for docs related to the company.

Its a standard now that any account requires a photo id / bank statement to open an account.

If you are a dual citizen US / CA its where it becomes super difficult as the IRS taxes non-us corporations as a Controlled Foreign Corporation which you do NOT WANT (double taxation, very complicated and expense reporting).

You'll experience the same issue in the states if you get a LLC the CRA does not recognize it (or something like that).

Fact is in canada your business number finite. You can only get a new one from bankruptcy or opening a canadian corp or a partnership.

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Do they want both? And is it an ID of company owner / shareholder / primary contact? This part really worries me.

Bank statement can be for business account, so my real name hopefully won't be exposed, but the ID...

I already have an account in my real name that is suspended.

Now, I want to setup a corporation, and go stealth to register another account.

Next, Amazon requests an ID, and I'm screwed, as the name, DOB, address etc. will match same data on suspended account. So, $400 down the drain, or another account suspended.

Have you found a way to overcome this?

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Open the account using steal info (not your own) including the ID thats not your own. Once u do change the legal entity to a corporation.

If you have fresh docs you've never submitted to amazon before nor have u given them your DOB you can reuse your name on new accounts.

Thats what I did. They dont have my DOB. My ID was a newly issued passport as well (and new passport number). They track passport numbers and drivers license numbers and DOB's.

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Unfortunately they have my DOB and fresh ID.

But, not for my wife.

However, I had her name as delivery address in my buyer's account - do you think they can link her to my suspended one, if I try to create an account under her name?

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

You change the legal entity after you've submitted the id and been approved?

Just wanted to check as I'm currently creating a new CA account. Thanks!

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Ever figure out a solution for this? Having the same concerns.

Re: Candian Stealth Sellers - How do you overcome tax obligations?
 

Necro thread... please make your own new one