Tax issues for US citizens

[Nutty 2]

I found out that I can apply for an ITIN # for my husband in order to file a joint tax return.

However, the man at the IRS said my husband would have to declare his worldwide income.

I asked him, "My husband is from Iran...So do you want his tax forms translated certified????"

It kinda stumped him. He did some checking and came back and said, "US and Iran do not have a tax treaty."

So...to my mind this means....I don't have to provide my husband's income.

Am I right?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Did you ask him what that meant? Last time I had to talk with a tax attorney at the IRS to get it all straightened out.

I found out that I can apply for an ITIN # for my husband in order to file a joint tax return.

However, the man at the IRS said my husband would have to declare his worldwide income.

I asked him, "My husband is from Iran...So do you want his tax forms translated certified????"

It kinda stumped him. He did some checking and came back and said, "US and Iran do not have a tax treaty."

So...to my mind this means....I don't have to provide my husband's income.

Am I right?

[Ban Hammer 13,586]

I found out that I can apply for an ITIN # for my husband in order to file a joint tax return.

However, the man at the IRS said my husband would have to declare his worldwide income.

I asked him, "My husband is from Iran...So do you want his tax forms translated certified????"

It kinda stumped him. He did some checking and came back and said, "US and Iran do not have a tax treaty."

So...to my mind this means....I don't have to provide my husband's income.

Am I right?

sounds like it. and i really doubt the irs would ask iran

[doodlebugg 10]

I forget, do you have children? If so and if you're "head of household" normally then you don't have to change your status. I filed head of household last year and will do so again this year since in order for me to change he'd have to live with us for the majority of the year.

[KGSodie 0]

Head of household doesn't give as good of tax benefits as filing as "married - filing jointly" does, though.

[doodlebugg 10]

Head of household doesn't give as good of tax benefits as filing as "married - filing jointly" does, though.

In my case it sure does! Every case is different though. I will do my taxes this weekend and I'll try it both ways and let you know the difference.

[john_and_marlene 162]

I forget, do you have children? If so and if you're "head of household" normally then you don't have to change your status. I filed head of household last year and will do so again this year since in order for me to change he'd have to live with us for the majority of the year.

Where does it say that you have to have lived together to file jointly? You don't have to live together even 1 day. You could marry just before midnight on New Years Eve and file jointly for the year in which you got married.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

When I spoke with the tax attorney at the IRS he said two days before the new year meant that I could file single but we didn't make that cut off. If only I had known!

You could marry just before midnight on New Years Eve and file jointly for the year in which you got married.

[Nutty 2]

I don't have children, just him and me.

[doodlebugg 10]

I forget, do you have children? If so and if you're "head of household" normally then you don't have to change your status. I filed head of household last year and will do so again this year since in order for me to change he'd have to live with us for the majority of the year.

Where does it say that you have to have lived together to file jointly? You don't have to live together even 1 day. You could marry just before midnight on New Years Eve and file jointly for the year in which you got married.

I look at it as though when do I *have* to file married jointly, so I *have* to once he's here the majority of the year. I could marry filing jointly but it's not beneficial in my case. Sorry for the confusion.

[Nutty 2]

The Tax Treaty Issue...

The biggie question for me now is...

Do I have to provide my husband's meager Iranian income ($3,600 gross per year) if there is no tax treaty between USA & Iran?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Call the IRS and ask them. There are very knowledgeable tax attorney's there you can speak to at no cost.

The Tax Treaty Issue...

The biggie question for me now is...

Do I have to provide my husband's meager Iranian income ($3,600 gross per year) if there is no tax treaty between USA & Iran?

Edited February 7, 2008 by Olivia*

[john_and_marlene 162]

The Tax Treaty Issue...

The biggie question for me now is...

Do I have to provide my husband's meager Iranian income ($3,600 gross per year) if there is no tax treaty between USA & Iran?

Tax treaties serve to reduce the amount of U.S. tax owed by residents of other countries. The absence of a treaty does not reduce the amount of U.S. tax owed. The existence or absence of a tax treaty does not reduce the amount of income claimed.

[Nutty 2]

I understand Tax treaty reduces tax burden.

I also realized that I should include his income if we file jointly because on immigration forms it is noted he is currently employed.

[TracyTN 237]

"If the treaty does not cover a particular kind of income, or if there is no treaty between your country and the United States, you must pay tax on the income in the same way and at the same rates shown in the instructions for the applicable U.S. tax return."

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/internationa...d=96739,00.html