More on the pesky tax extract

[Captain Oates 910]

ok so my IRS tax extracts arrived today and we all think they are the same as the 1722 form USCIS says we need to bring to the interview.

When I called the IRS, the auto system said it would send a tax extract and account statement for each of the three years

Well these extracts only show the account balance as nil for one year and that's the year where we paid more than we needed to in advance.

For the other 2 years it shows the tax calculation but does not show that they received the check and the account is at nil

When the auto line said it would send the extract of the return AND the account, I thought it would confirm NIL owing

What thoughts ? Do I need an account balance in addition to the extracts of the calculations ? How do I do that ?

thanks

[ELW 5]

Your care is impressive! But I'm sure what you have is enough. How many people have actually been asked to show the tax records at the citizenship interview? Next to none. They definitely won't carefully look them over for a nil balance! I think what you have is perfectly fine, and no one will ask anything more. So try to relax and study for the test! Good luck!

(PS We have the tax transcripts ordered from the IRS free, which we included in our application, and that's all we are taking to the interview.)

[NickD 202]

Your care is impressive! But I'm sure what you have is enough. How many people have actually been asked to show the tax records at the citizenship interview? Next to none. They definitely won't carefully look them over for a nil balance! I think what you have is perfectly fine, and no one will ask anything more. So try to relax and study for the test! Good luck!

(PS We have the tax transcripts ordered from the IRS free, which we included in our application, and that's all we are taking to the interview.)

Seems what should only be of interest to them, one, yes indeed you did file a return, two, if applying under marriage, both your names are on the form. Wife said her IO thumbed through our returns, she must be nosy and maybe even a bit envious. But what the heck, we are both working our cans off and paying taxes.

Too make their job easier, we highlighted our joint names on all the documents we submitted, would have liked to black marked the rest of it like the CIA does. Just on a need to know basis. They don't need to know the rest of that information. Yes, we are paying our taxes together should be sufficient for their needs.

[Captain Oates 910]

Seems what should only be of interest to them, one, yes indeed you did file a return, two, if applying under marriage, both your names are on the form. Wife said her IO thumbed through our returns, she must be nosy and maybe even a bit envious. But what the heck, we are both working our cans off and paying taxes.

Too make their job easier, we highlighted our joint names on all the documents we submitted, would have liked to black marked the rest of it like the CIA does. Just on a need to know basis. They don't need to know the rest of that information. Yes, we are paying our taxes together should be sufficient for their needs.

Thanks guys you reassure me..

We have had such a mauling from the USCIS in the past, that I am always looking for the weak spot where they might stick the knife in and so I am a bit paranoid about it.

When I called the IRS, the thing that threw me was that the auto message referred to a transcript of the return AND the account, and I was disappointed that they only sent a transcript of the return which didn't state that I had paid my bill

I too submitted a transcript (original) with my N-400 application but I didn't keep a copy - so now I have 2 originals and the USCIS has one.

After the USCIS, I am twitchy about the IRS and I try to cover all the angles with them too. When I pay my tax bill, I keep a copy of my paid check image extracted from my online bank account statement. I will take copies of these check images which show the IRS bank account references stamped across the check. The amounts on the checks are exactly the same as the 'amount owing' on the tax transcripts.

Our tax bill goes up every year and we only pay the amount of last years tax in advance and so there is always a check to send but never a penalty.

Interview 4 weeks tomorrow and I am ready for it with the civics etc but worried about the English test if they ask me to write 'you all are applicationizing to be citizened'

[ELW 5]

Interview 4 weeks tomorrow and I am ready for it with the civics etc but worried about the English test if they ask me to write 'you all are applicationizing to be citizened'

Don't worry you will be fine, then DONE with USCIS FOREVER! Yea!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

They don't really look at the documents you submit until you are in the actual interview. When I had my naturalization interview it was obviously the first time my interviewer had seen the file. She had a checklist of necessary documents beside her and she went through my submission - while I was sitting there - checking everything off. She checked off that we had provided 3 years of tax transcripts (I had actually provided 4 - she handed the oldest ones back to me), checked the names on the transcripts and the dates and that was it - no other information was reviewed. She was interested in seeing that a) I had filed and b) it was a joint return. She then moved on to the other documents on her check list.

Don't worry - as long as you have the transcripts for the necessary years and they show that you paid taxes jointly or at least paid them separately and filed as 'married, filing individually' they really won't go into more of it than that. The only time they might is if you owe the IRS and they will want to see documents to verify you are in a re-payment arrangement.

Good luck at your interview. (Oh, the statement they will ask you to write will most probably be one of the civics test questions or answers. The statement that they will ask you to read will most likely be the corresponding question or answer to what you were asked to write. No trick questions there ).

Edited September 26, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Captain Oates 910]

They don't really look at the documents you submit until you are in the actual interview. When I had my naturalization interview it was obviously the first time my interviewer had seen the file. She had a checklist of necessary documents beside her and she went through my submission - while I was sitting there - checking everything off. She checked off that we had provided 3 years of tax transcripts (I had actually provided 4 - she handed the oldest ones back to me), checked the names on the transcripts and the dates and that was it - no other information was reviewed. She was interested in seeing that a) I had filed and b) it was a joint return. She then moved on to the other documents on her check list.

Don't worry - as long as you have the transcripts for the necessary years and they show that you paid taxes jointly or at least paid them separately and filed as 'married, filing individually' they really won't go into more of it than that. The only time they might is if you owe the IRS and they will want to see documents to verify you are in a re-payment arrangement.

Good luck at your interview.

Thanks Kathryn sounds good.

I don't know how they would know if I owed the IRS and that is what worried me. I wonder if they even contact the IRS to see if the account is paid.

Anyway all 3 returns (2007,2008,2009)are joint, and I have copies of the paid checks with the IRS 's bank refs printed on them, so I am relaxed now.

I wish the USCIS and IRS would get their act together though

The IRS should not say they are sending transcripts of the return AND the account when they aren't

The USCIS should stop talking about form 1722 and say 'Tax transcripts'

If the quality control manager at the USCIS read these forums, they could learn a lot; but they obviously don't. Actually they could learn everything and their job would be done for them for free. I don't know what I will have to curmudgeonizate about when this is all over but I will find something I am sure. Probably something about my native language being waterboarded.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Mate,

first up: loved your post in "Should I love or hate the USA!"

The brilliant mind I am -- thanks to my late mother whose cleaning and organization skills had well crossed into the realm of the insane -- I still managed not only to type my SSN incorrectly on my tax transcript request (eyes need to check fingers!), but did not mark the correct box indicating what kind of transcripts I wanted. Pretty much on the dime two weeks later, the IRS sent my application back, nicely edited with a red marker. Well, I got it right the second time, which makes me think that you may have marked the wrong box on your request to the good tax people.

As the veterans already stated, I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but perhaps, assuming you have still time, you may want to order a new set and have it faxed to you? Final solution: copy all of your tax returns for the past 3 years and take 'em with you to the interview. My guess is, nobody really cares, but what the hack, it's just trees, right?

[Captain Oates 910]

Mate,

first up: loved your post in "Should I love or hate the USA!"

The brilliant mind I am -- thanks to my late mother whose cleaning and organization skills had well crossed into the realm of the insane -- I still managed not only to type my SSN incorrectly on my tax transcript request (eyes need to check fingers!), but did not mark the correct box indicating what kind of transcripts I wanted. Pretty much on the dime two weeks later, the IRS sent my application back, nicely edited with a red marker. Well, I got it right the second time, which makes me think that you may have marked the wrong box on your request to the good tax people.

As the veterans already stated, I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but perhaps, assuming you have still time, you may want to order a new set and have it faxed to you? Final solution: copy all of your tax returns for the past 3 years and take 'em with you to the interview. My guess is, nobody really cares, but what the hack, it's just trees, right?

I actually made this request by phone using the auto system rather than sending a form and I must have got the SS numbers right as the transcripts came to my address in 4 days flat and they are correct.

My beef is that the phone auto system says it will send transcripts of the return AND the account (the balance owing). However, it only sends the return and doesn't confirm the amount owing (which is nil)

Anyway, I am going to go with the stuff I have and hope I don't get an eagle eyed new interviewer who has never met this before and realises there is no record of what I actually paid by check after the relevant year end.

My images of the paid checks should help

[NickD 202]

I actually made this request by phone using the auto system rather than sending a form and I must have got the SS numbers right as the transcripts came to my address in 4 days flat and they are correct.

My beef is that the phone auto system says it will send transcripts of the return AND the account (the balance owing). However, it only sends the return and doesn't confirm the amount owing (which is nil)

Anyway, I am going to go with the stuff I have and hope I don't get an eagle eyed new interviewer who has never met this before and realises there is no record of what I actually paid by check after the relevant year end.

My images of the paid checks should help

Hear about people getting refunds, we always have to send a check, at the end of our 1040 is the amount due. Yes there was a lot of money due, but my wife was never questioned about that. Maybe her IO figured that due amount was paid, since my wife was at her interview and not in jail.

We also submitted four years of our joint returns, was my subtle way of telling the USCIS, if they weren't so damn slow in processing us, we should have of only had three. But still suspect they delayed us so our daughter would be over 18 so we would have to pay the extra 675 bucks. The fourth and earliest return was likewise returned to my wife.

[Captain Oates 910]

Hear about people getting refunds, we always have to send a check, at the end of our 1040 is the amount due. Yes there was a lot of money due, but my wife was never questioned about that. Maybe her IO figured that due amount was paid, since my wife was at her interview and not in jail.

We also submitted four years of our joint returns, was my subtle way of telling the USCIS, if they weren't so damn slow in processing us, we should have of only had three. But still suspect they delayed us so our daughter would be over 18 so we would have to pay the extra 675 bucks. The fourth and earliest return was likewise returned to my wife.

chuckle

but the USCIS does induce paranoia in their clients...

Throughout the year we always make sure we pay just a tiny bit more than the tax bill for the year before. As long as our incomes go up then we have a check to pay over.

If our incomes go down we will get a refund or a carry forward

Last year the GB pound went down so my GB pension was worth less dollars and we were due to pay less tax. I elected for a carry forward as I have to pay advance tax on my GB Pension as if I was self employed - so this year is tax free for me yippee !

If the US dollar goes down I will have extra tax to pay.

[NickD 202]

What I consider criminal is when our inflation rate is greater than the interest rate on a certificate of deposit. You end up with less money than you started, but have to pay a hefty tax on that interest besides.

Another is governmental services, what services? Only one I am aware is picking up a half a bag of garbage each week. And wouldn't even have that if we didn't have an ordinance against burning it. In regards to national defense, already took away six years of my life, what else do they want?

Sure didn't get any help with my 14 year old Spanish speaking daughter, school bell rings at 2:50 PM, at 2:51 PM, all the teachers were far gone. They did assign a 16 year old Spanish speaking student to help her, she had better things to do, like boys. So her mom and I had to spend at least 4-5 hours each night and the good share of our weekends helping her until she finally learned English well. Like three years of that. Yet the schools wanted huge extra money for what they call special education where one teacher earning $60K per year would only take on one or two students.

I know my Senator Feingold is on the USCIS budgeting committee, but have no idea how much of our tax dollar is going for that. They let you download a form for free, but can't even use proper English in asking a question, but tell you, if you don't answer it the way you want they want you too, tell you they will reject your form and keep your fee. No help from them on this issue, so hired an attorney to help us. Spent hour upon hour trying to make heads or tails, gather all the evidence, where they only have to take about five minutes to review it. Can't even make a mutually agreed upon appointment, strictly a one way organization paid by our fees and tax dollar. What kind of service is this?

IRS is the same way, most people have to pay someone to fill out their forms, having to pay someone to do pay your taxes is a bit too much. Had an audit one year, they knew more about my own finances than I did. First question I had, is why all these forms, why don't you just send me the bill? Unfortunately for me, out of their 1,100 some odd different forms, I chose the wrong one, seemed right to me.

[Captain Oates 910]

Conclusion is that dealing with the USCIS and IRS is pot luck. If it goes smoothly then everyone says 'no problema, it's easy - don't worry'. If you are the selected wildebeest in the herd that week or that year, then it's a nightmare and anything can happen. Low profile, gray man, keep it simple, is the only way to go.

Many folks on VJ who get into probs, get there by self invitation. As in 'I smoked pot 10 years ago and I cannot tell a lie'. Or 'Yes I have been detained, a police officer detained me for 5 minutes while he wrote a speeding ticket'.

On the other hand, it's best to be totally prepared and documented for all possible perceived attacks years down the road. Detecting the unperceived should then be the focus of our attention. It's a jungle out there.

Interview 4 weeks today or as I prefer to put it 'Three weeks next Monday'

[Captain Oates 910]

BREAKING NEWS !!!

Just received the tax accounts for the 3 years from the IRS

I received the transcripts of the returns last week.

So when you call the IRS for transcripts you will get the returns and then the accounts a week later. No need to send a form, just call em on the free phone 1-800-829-0922

The accounts prove you have paid the amounts on the returns

ok so the IRS are back in my good books .... Now totally ready for the USCIS (I think)