Calgary to Columbus: Energy Data, the JPMorgan Corridor, and Ohio's Flat Tax Plus City Tax

Columbus is JPMorgan Chase's largest employment centre, home to Nationwide and Huntington, and a growing data centre and logistics hub. Calgary's finance and data professionals fit. The tax picture is a moderate cut: Alberta's combined top rate of about 48% becomes about 42% in Columbus once the city's 2.5% income tax is added to Ohio's flat state rate.

Key takeaways

• Alberta's roughly 48% top rate sets the departure tax. On a $300,000 unrealized gain, about $72,000.
• Ohio's state income tax is a flat 2.75% for 2026; Columbus adds a 2.5% municipal income tax. Combined about 5.25%.
• Ohio starts from federal AGI, so the treaty's RRSP deferral flows through.
• Alberta's 5% GST becomes 7.5% sales tax in Franklin County.
• No Ohio estate tax. AHCIP ends on permanent departure.

The Alberta departure

Departure tax applies to non-registered investments, private company shares, crypto, and foreign property at fair market value on the departure date. Alberta real estate, RRSPs, TFSAs, and pensions are excluded. Report on Form T1243, list holdings on Form T1161 if the total exceeds $25,000, and post security under Form T1244 for illiquid assets. A Calgary corporation is deemed sold and becomes a US controlled foreign corporation after the move; wind it up before you go.

Columbus's side

Flat 2.75% state income tax (Ohio moved to a single rate for 2026); 2.5% Columbus municipal income tax on residents and on non-residents working in the city, with most suburbs charging 2% to 2.5% of their own; 7.5% sales tax in Franklin County; property tax near 1.5% to 2% effective; no estate tax.

The RRSP in Ohio

Federally deferred under Article XVIII of the treaty and deferred for Ohio because the state starts from federal AGI. Ohio also provides a retirement income credit and exempts Social Security-type benefits, which covers CPP and OAS. Canadian withholding is 25% on lump sums, 15% on periodic RRIF payments within the treaty limit, with a US foreign tax credit federally. Municipal income tax in Ohio generally does not apply to pension or retirement income.

Who makes this move

Calgary finance and analytics professionals to JPMorgan Chase's Columbus operations, Alberta insurance staff to Nationwide, Calgary data engineers to the region's data centres, and Alberta logistics professionals to Columbus's distribution hub.

Worked example

A Calgary data analyst moves to Columbus on June 30 with $180,000 of unrealized gain in a non-registered account, $400,000 in an RRSP, and a Calgary home sold in the departure year.

• Departure tax. $180,000 gain, $90,000 taxable, at about 48%: roughly $43,000.
• Home. Sold as a resident under the principal residence exemption.
• RRSP. No tax on departure; federal and Ohio deferral.
• Columbus. Combined top rate about 42%. GST 5% becomes sales tax 7.5%.

Official sources

"When you leave Canada, you are considered to have sold certain types of property (even if you have not sold them) at their fair market value (FMV) and to have immediately reacquired them for the same amount. This is called a deemed disposition and you may have to report a capital gain (also known as departure tax)." — Canada Revenue Agency, Leaving Canada (emigrants), https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/international-non-residents/individuals-leaving-entering-canada-non-residents/leaving-canada-emigrants.html

Ohio's individual income tax rates and brackets are published by the Department of Taxation. — Ohio Department of Taxation, Annual Tax Rates, https://tax.ohio.gov/individual/resources/annual-tax-rates

2.5% income tax for the City of Columbus. — City of Columbus, Income Tax Division, https://www.columbus.gov/Government/City-Auditor/Income-Tax-Division

Practitioner note

Ohio's municipal income tax is the item Calgary movers do not expect. Columbus charges 2.5%, and most suburbs charge their own; a resident of one city working in another gets a credit that may or may not cover the full amount. We run the city tax by home and work address before the client signs a lease.

See also: Weighing Florida instead? See the Canada-to-Florida guide, or the same city's Calgary to Miami guide.

Next step

Fairlight prepares the Alberta departure return, the corporate wind-up, and the first-year federal, Ohio, and municipal returns. See cross-border pricing or book a call.