Tax filing status/witholding question for newlyweds

[Imua 0]

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

[SusieK 3]

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

Morning Pattu:

Your W4 can reflect what you wish it to as far as your withholding from pay check, what counts is your actual filing with IRS and after speaking with Tax Accountant this week, he said "Status of December 31, 2007" meaning married, and so that is the one thing that must be accurate. Have known many employees that worked for me over the years to turn in W4 showing single to withhold more money etc, whatever reasons, but they are married.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!!!!

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

Single on your W4 forms means they will withhold more taxes. If you change it to married, they will withhold a little less.

I believe you can request a tax ID for your husband and file "married filing jointly", and then you'd get a much bigger tax return.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

i was just advised to get the tax number for him by another member also and my w4 still shows single many people alter the withholdings with the intent of getting a bigger refund

[Urge To Race 2]

Pattu Rani,

When you file your 2007 taxes, you must file as married since you were married at the end of 2007. You have the choice of 2 filing statuses, "Married filing jointly" or "married filing separately". Which choice you make there depends on your particular situation. If your hubby made lots of money in Nepal, then you wouldn't want that taxed in the US, so you would go Married filing separately (he would not be required to file since he is not a US Resident for tax purposes).

If your husband made little to no money, then you will probably benefit by filing jointly as it will give you a bigger return. Now, to file jointly, since your hubby doesn''t have an SSN, what you do is fill out your appropriate tax return form (1040) and a W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). Attach the W-7 to the 1040 and sent it to the IRS Austin Service Center (oh no, another service center) to ITIN Operations. They will issue an ITIN for your hubby and process the return. The attached return is now required to insure that people just aren't randomly requesting unneeded ITINs.

As for the W-4 at work, that only has to do with withholdings. It doesn't really matter, you can leave it as it is, and you will get a bigger return or owe less money if you owe money. Change it to include your hubby and you will have less withheld so you will get a smaller return. Some people claim extra exemptions because they don't want the gov't holding their money interest free until return time, then they owe money on April 15th. In this case, they are getting the interest free loan until April 15. This strategy comes with the risk of being too short for 2 consecutive years, which can result in penalties. Others who cannot save money on their own and want to see a big return because it makes it easier to put some aside will claim fewer exemptions then they are allowed to bolster their return. Bottom line is that this is not all that important as in nothing is really required to be done. You might make some choices here based on other factors, desires, and circumstances.

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

Edited December 21, 2007 by Urge To Race

[pushbrk 12,877]

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

W4 is for adjusting the amount withheld for taxes. How you file is only loosely related in that you could end up with more or less of a refund or need to write a check for more.

The proper way to file is to file as married filing jointly but since your husband doesn't have SSN, you file a W7 with your return to get him an ITIN. (a tax number that doesn't allow working). The Catch 22 is you would need his passport in hand to do that.

What I did is go ahead and file as single. After my wife got here we filed the W7 with an amended return and got some more money back.

Yes, my wife presented my 2005 tax return with the I-134, showing he single status even though we married in 2005.

[Imua 0]

Thanks everyone, I'll leave my W-4 alone since my tax refund will be paying for my plane ticket to Nepal. I wasn't sure if there was anything I needed to do by December 31 -today is my last day at work until New Year's - woohoo! Will deal with getting an ITIN for Govi when I file my return.

[Urge To Race 2]

pushbrk,

You don't need the original passport in hand to get an ITIN; a certified copy of an unexpired foreign passport will do if original is not available for filing. Also, there are other documents that can be used instead of a passport altogether.

From: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

IRS will accept certified or notarized copies of a combination (two or more) of the following documents, in lieu of a passport:

* National identification card (must show photo, name, current address, date of birth, and expiration date)

* U.S. driver's license

* Civil birth certificate

* Foreign driver's license

* U.S. state identification card

* Foreign voter's registration card

* U.S. military identification card

* Foreign military identification card

* Visa

* U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) photo identification

* Medical records (dependents - under 14 years old - only)

* School records (dependents and/or students - under 25 years old - only)

Cheers,

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

W4 is for adjusting the amount withheld for taxes. How you file is only loosely related in that you could end up with more or less of a refund or need to write a check for more.

The proper way to file is to file as married filing jointly but since your husband doesn't have SSN, you file a W7 with your return to get him an ITIN. (a tax number that doesn't allow working). The Catch 22 is you would need his passport in hand to do that.

What I did is go ahead and file as single. After my wife got here we filed the W7 with an amended return and got some more money back.

Yes, my wife presented my 2005 tax return with the I-134, showing he single status even though we married in 2005.

Edited December 21, 2007 by Urge To Race

[Cheyenne 15]

I found this page very helpful after I was married. I'm not sure how current the information is since it was over a year ago that I was here. I do come back time and again to review certain information. Hope everyone is doing well.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=109

[edp333 9]

Urge or anyone who knows,

I spoke with the person in charge of where I get my taxes completed about adding my wife with an ITIN number to my 2007 taxes. He told me that the laws have changed and if the spouse has never been in the USA then he/she must reside in Mexico or Canada to be on my taxes.

For accuracy, can anyone verify this for sure?

[pushbrk 12,877]

Hey, anybody who can arrange an acceptable combination is welcome to do so, if they want to go to the trouble. It would have delayed my filing and refund. Since I used the refund to finance my second trip to China, delay was not an acceptable option. We had no problems with our solution. It's a common one.

pushbrk,

You don't need the original passport in hand to get an ITIN; a certified copy of an unexpired foreign passport will do if original is not available for filing. Also, there are other documents that can be used instead of a passport altogether.

From: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

IRS will accept certified or notarized copies of a combination (two or more) of the following documents, in lieu of a passport:

* National identification card (must show photo, name, current address, date of birth, and expiration date)

* U.S. driver's license

* Civil birth certificate

* Foreign driver's license

* U.S. state identification card

* Foreign voter's registration card

* U.S. military identification card

* Foreign military identification card

* Visa

* U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) photo identification

* Medical records (dependents - under 14 years old - only)

* School records (dependents and/or students - under 25 years old - only)

Cheers,

I am wondering if I need to go to my HR office and change my W-4 forms now that I am married, or if I only change filing status from "Single' to 'Married, filing separately' when I fill out my tax return. What did other people do?

W4 is for adjusting the amount withheld for taxes. How you file is only loosely related in that you could end up with more or less of a refund or need to write a check for more.

The proper way to file is to file as married filing jointly but since your husband doesn't have SSN, you file a W7 with your return to get him an ITIN. (a tax number that doesn't allow working). The Catch 22 is you would need his passport in hand to do that.

What I did is go ahead and file as single. After my wife got here we filed the W7 with an amended return and got some more money back.

Yes, my wife presented my 2005 tax return with the I-134, showing he single status even though we married in 2005.

[Urge To Race 2]

I am not aware of any such change. You and your wife can elect to have her treated as a US Resident for tax purposes for the full tax year if you like, even if she has never been to the US, Mexico, or Canada. Of course, I specialize in corporate here. I will check with people more knowledgeable on personal and post back later.

Urge or anyone who knows,

I spoke with the person in charge of where I get my taxes completed about adding my wife with an ITIN number to my 2007 taxes. He told me that the laws have changed and if the spouse has never been in the USA then he/she must reside in Mexico or Canada to be on my taxes.

For accuracy, can anyone verify this for sure?

[Imua 0]

If I am able to get the ITIN for Govi will it also make it easier to add him to my checking account? In other words, does the ITIN substitute for an SSN(not for work purposes of course, but for financial) if he doesn't have one yet? We will not have any conjoined financial resources at time of filing except that I have designated him as my life insurance beneficiary(which does not require an SSN/ITIN) - am hoping we could have more at the time of interview.

[Alt name 1]

Nit got her salary slips (she only worked from Jan-May), we are declaring her income, and filing jointly.

Regards,

David and Nitadyah

[pushbrk 12,877]

If I am able to get the ITIN for Govi will it also make it easier to add him to my checking account? In other words, does the ITIN substitute for an SSN(not for work purposes of course, but for financial) if he doesn't have one yet? We will not have any conjoined financial resources at time of filing except that I have designated him as my life insurance beneficiary(which does not require an SSN/ITIN) - am hoping we could have more at the time of interview.

My wife was added to my checking account as soon as she got her ITIN but that was after she got here. They wanted two pieces of ID. The passport could be one but for the second, they wanted a piece of business mail showing the same address as mine. Since I had called them in advance and no mention was made of a second ID, I talked them into using the visa in her passport as the second ID.

You'd have to talk to your bank about whether they would put him on without him being there to sign and show ID but you could make him beneficiary more easily.