The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread

[OBX 51]

When can we request our tax transcripts from the IRS? we just filed today March 17th. Picked electronic filing. So wait 2 weeks then get the last 2 years tax transcripts from the IRS?

You can always call the IRS and see if your return has been posted to their system yet. We were waiting to order transcripts for an amended return and the agent was able to tell us that the return had be processed but not yet posted so we didn't bother to order the transcripts. Called back again a week later, still not posted because someone "forgot". The agent said it could take up to 6 weeks but I suspect she would be doing it asap as she was very apologetic about the mishap.

[zyggy 9]

You can always call the IRS and see if your return has been posted to their system yet. We were waiting to order transcripts for an amended return and the agent was able to tell us that the return had be processed but not yet posted so we didn't bother to order the transcripts. Called back again a week later, still not posted because someone "forgot". The agent said it could take up to 6 weeks but I suspect she would be doing it asap as she was very apologetic about the mishap.

WHen you get your refund, it will be in their system and you can request the transcript.

[OBX 51]

WHen you get your refund, it will be in their system and you can request the transcript.

Unfortunately there is no refund coming our way; the cash flow is headed in the direction of the IRS rather than us.

[CONFUSED81 0]

Maybe someone can help out with my situation..

I'm a mexican natioan and hold a Permanent Resident card in Canada. In May 2010 my company transfered me to the US under a L-1A visa.

I got married in October 2010 with a French citizen and we live together in the US.

I wonder how to file my taxes in the US. Can I file married filing jointly?,

do I file CAD income and obtain tax credits?

do I have to report my wife's France (from Jan-Sept) income even though she was in the US only for 3 months?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Revenesque 2]

Hi! USC hubby and I have been married since 2007 but he has been filing single. I've POed in March 2011. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to amending his 2007-2009 taxes to filing as maried jointly? If so, what do we have to do?--does he write in to the IRS to elect to treat me as resident alien for tax purposes and I to fill out Form 2555? Help!

[ValerieA 350]

I filed my Cdn taxes and mailed them March 4th (from Texas), just checked my CRA account and there is no record of them yet. Anyone know how long it should take? Is there a bottleneck between them receiving them and acknowledging receipt?

[sdw 10]

I mailed mine from WNY at the beginning of March and they just received them.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I filed my Cdn taxes and mailed them March 4th (from Texas), just checked my CRA account and there is no record of them yet. Anyone know how long it should take? Is there a bottleneck between them receiving them and acknowledging receipt?

Don;t know how you mailed it (ie courier or regular) but if regular it probably took 1-2 weeks just to get there and then consider probably anotehr couple days in the mail room.

According to CRA http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/rfnds/prcss-eng.html they say they are processing paper returns in 4-6 weeks from receipt. I wouldn't expect anything before end of April. Anything earlier is a bonus.

[ValerieA 350]

Hi! USC hubby and I have been married since 2007 but he has been filing single. I've POed in March 2011. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to amending his 2007-2009 taxes to filing as maried jointly? If so, what do we have to do?--does he write in to the IRS to elect to treat me as resident alien for tax purposes and I to fill out Form 2555? Help!

When I tried to correct something on ours, I filed a 1040X...

[ValerieA 350]

Thanks for the help, sdw & u&W!

[zyggy 9]

Hi! USC hubby and I have been married since 2007 but he has been filing single. I've POed in March 2011. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to amending his 2007-2009 taxes to filing as maried jointly? If so, what do we have to do?--does he write in to the IRS to elect to treat me as resident alien for tax purposes and I to fill out Form 2555? Help!

Yes, there should be a benefit. He would have to file an 1040X for each of the years to amend his income tax.

Maybe someone can help out with my situation..

I'm a mexican natioan and hold a Permanent Resident card in Canada. In May 2010 my company transfered me to the US under a L-1A visa.

I got married in October 2010 with a French citizen and we live together in the US.

I wonder how to file my taxes in the US. Can I file married filing jointly?,

do I file CAD income and obtain tax credits?

do I have to report my wife's France (from Jan-Sept) income even though she was in the US only for 3 months?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I guess the first question is what is your wife's status....

[lilacvioletiris 11]

My husband (the Canadian) and I got married in July 2010. He quit his job in Canada about a week before he crossed the border (end of June). We finished his AOS Oct. 2010 and he got a job a couple days later. He worked for a month and made $2275. He was unemployed and received EI for Nov. and Dec. 2010. I am trying to use turbotax.

Can we exclude his income from Canada (for Jan. to June 2010 and his EI for Nov. and Dec. 2010)?

In the little "questions turbotax asks", it says "Was my husband a citizen in 2010, or became one?" I said yes because he AOSed and became a permanent resident. Is this correct?

We stated that my husband is required to pay foreign taxes on the income he received. When my husband does his Canadian taxes will he be claiming "nonresidency" status in Canada?

To qualify for the foreign income exclusion would it be better for my husband to use bona fide resident test or the physical presence test? I used the bona fide resident test using his birthday as when he started living in the foreign country and June 30, 2010 as the day he left.

[zyggy 9]

My husband (the Canadian) and I got married in July 2010. He quit his job in Canada about a week before he crossed the border (end of June). We finished his AOS Oct. 2010 and he got a job a couple days later. He worked for a month and made $2275. He was unemployed and received EI for Nov. and Dec. 2010. I am trying to use turbotax.

Can we exclude his income from Canada (for Jan. to June 2010 and his EI for Nov. and Dec. 2010)?

In the little "questions turbotax asks", it says "Was my husband a citizen in 2010, or became one?" I said yes because he AOSed and became a permanent resident. Is this correct?

We stated that my husband is required to pay foreign taxes on the income he received. When my husband does his Canadian taxes will he be claiming "nonresidency" status in Canada?

To qualify for the foreign income exclusion would it be better for my husband to use bona fide resident test or the physical presence test? I used the bona fide resident test using his birthday as when he started living in the foreign country and June 30, 2010 as the day he left.

You can exclude his income in Canada until June. You must report any income earned after his entry... even if is foreign income. So he will have to report the EI and take a foreign tax credit against it. No your husband is not a Citizen, so you would answer no.

Your husband will have to file a "leaving Canada" return that include his income up to the date he left Canada. There is a lot of coverage on what that consists of on this thread.

In your case, he would qualify under both.

[Brenda2010 1]

Wow, wealth of knowledge here, hoping someone can help me out...pertinent info:

- POE'd on K1 Visa Dec. 27 2010

- married Jan. 21 2011, now in the midst of AOS

Am planning to file a tax return in Canada only (no income in US for 2010), and understand I should do an 'exit return'...is that the same as the general form, and you just note that you've moved/exited?

I sold my home in early December before moving...I don't need to declare that do I? It was my principle residence so not subject to capital gains...

And one last thing, I have some $$$s in a chequing account and some RRSPs in Canada - do I need to file a form with my Canadian return to declare that or is that next year when i file my US?

When you have a minute, thanks

[kalcium 0]

Hi Zyg, I lived in Ontario and moved to California last Nov because my husband got a new job there. I was in maternity leave receiving EI from Jan to Oct 2010, I went back to work for a week then quitted. I received wage and vacation pays before my departure on Nov. Between my departure date and the end of the year, I have a capital loss of $10000 CAD and received about $3000 CAD of interest/dividend payment from Canadian Banks. I understand my husband has choices of filing with dual status or NR return and both can claim spousal exemption, my question is because I have zero US source income, do I have to file federal and state tax return? Thanks in advance.