How do we File this year's taxes? As single or married?

[prince+angel 3]

rin and john, Waheed & Kris - straight info & to the point, thanks this is very helpful!

[nyrhythm 0]

OK instead of going through all those W7 filing and alll the other hassel,dpo this . IRS allows to amend your return up to last 3 years. SO when your spouse come to usa nd has valid SSN, just file the ammended return form 1040X. You will receive your tax return with interest. BUt there is catch . This will not work if govement is giving the rebat as they did last year

[GS4EVER 0]

Well i just did my taxes and my tax guy said ...... i am still single, cause my wife is not in US yet ...... they actually need the SSN of the wife to claim her as your dependent.

Get a new tax guy, he is wrong.

Take him tax publication 519:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf

Have him read page 10, "Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident". You will need to get an ITIN for your spouse by filing a W-7. You will need a notarized/certified copy of her passport.

For signing the return, she will either have to sign it or send you power of attorney.

If you have already filed, you can submit a 1040X amended return (you have up to 3 years) with the Married filing jointly. If your spouse had little or no foreign income, it will save you alot of money. Additionally, if you wait to file the amended return until she has her SSN, then she will also qualify for the $600 recovery tax rebate.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=186065,00.html

I meant to ask what's an ITIN?

[payxibka 10,045]

Well i just did my taxes and my tax guy said ...... i am still single, cause my wife is not in US yet ...... they actually need the SSN of the wife to claim her as your dependent.

Get a new tax guy, he is wrong.

Take him tax publication 519:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf

Have him read page 10, "Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident". You will need to get an ITIN for your spouse by filing a W-7. You will need a notarized/certified copy of her passport.

For signing the return, she will either have to sign it or send you power of attorney.

If you have already filed, you can submit a 1040X amended return (you have up to 3 years) with the Married filing jointly. If your spouse had little or no foreign income, it will save you alot of money. Additionally, if you wait to file the amended return until she has her SSN, then she will also qualify for the $600 recovery tax rebate.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=186065,00.html

I meant to ask what's an ITIN?

google is your friend

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

[prince+angel 3]

Figures ...

OK instead of going through all those W7 filing and alll the other hassel,dpo this . IRS allows to amend your return up to last 3 years. SO when your spouse come to usa nd has valid SSN, just file the ammended return form 1040X. You will receive your tax return with interest. BUt there is catch . This will not work if govement is giving the rebat as they did last year

[jamster0105 7]

I was confused with this as well, since I filed with H and R Block online...Has anyone already sent their transcripts as single, and been denied a visa for their spouse making the amendment? Or will they approve the visa even though we filed single???

[LoveMyTico 999]

Question:

I am doing my taxes with Turbo Tax. It keeps telling me I need a SS# for my husband.... OK, DUH ! I know.... but as I was going threw all the sections, I find out I can't take the EIC without both of us having a SS#. Is that correct? The tax credit for me means an extra $2000.00 in my refund. I have to file manually this year because I am filing the W-7 with my return . Should I just take the credit and send it in and let them tell me I can't take it? I am soooo confused here. I need to file with my husband because last year I filed head of household . This year I need to give my returns to my attorney . We are filing a waiver and I will need them. Also, Do I need to claim his income in Costa Rica? if so, that is another can of worms...

Edited February 17, 2009 by esposadetucho

[Y's_habibitk 2]

You are NOT single, You ARE married. If you read the instructions for the W-7 form and read publication 519, you will clearly see that you can indeed claim your spouse on your taxes. You don't need a social security number to claim your spouse that has never been in this country, You NEED an iTIN number instead.

In an email send your spouse the W-7 form, and all other tax forms you will be using that require thier signature. Ask your spouse to print them off and sign them. Then they simply mail you the forms back and then file your taxes.

peace

~kris

There is such thing in the eyes of the IRS as "considered unmarried". So, yes you are married, but you DO NOT HAVE to file as married. period. You can if you like, but it is NOT required. You can even file HOH if you have a qualifying dependent.

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch02.html

Edited February 17, 2009 by Lisa wa Yazied

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Question:

I am doing my taxes with Turbo Tax. It keeps telling me I need a SS# for my husband.... OK, DUH ! I know.... but as I was going threw all the sections, I find out I can't take the EIC without both of us having a SS#. Is that correct? The tax credit for me means an extra $2000.00 in my refund. I have to file manually this year because I am filing the W-7 with my return . Should I just take the credit and send it in and let them tell me I can't take it? I am soooo confused here. I need to file with my husband because last year I filed head of household . This year I need to give my returns to my attorney . We are filing a waiver and I will need them. Also, Do I need to claim his income in Costa Rica? if so, that is another can of worms...

I irs.gov

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch36.html

"To claim the EIC, you (and your spouse if filing a joint return) must have a valid SSN issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Any qualifying child listed on Schedule EIC also must have a valid SSN. "

Sorry Jen, it looks like you wont get the EIC

[LoveMyTico 999]

Question:

I am doing my taxes with Turbo Tax. It keeps telling me I need a SS# for my husband.... OK, DUH ! I know.... but as I was going threw all the sections, I find out I can't take the EIC without both of us having a SS#. Is that correct? The tax credit for me means an extra $2000.00 in my refund. I have to file manually this year because I am filing the W-7 with my return . Should I just take the credit and send it in and let them tell me I can't take it? I am soooo confused here. I need to file with my husband because last year I filed head of household . This year I need to give my returns to my attorney . We are filing a waiver and I will need them. Also, Do I need to claim his income in Costa Rica? if so, that is another can of worms...

I irs.gov

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch36.html

"To claim the EIC, you (and your spouse if filing a joint return) must have a valid SSN issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Any qualifying child listed on Schedule EIC also must have a valid SSN. "

Sorry Jen, it looks like you wont get the EIC

I wonder if I can ammend my return when he gets a number.... hmmmmm this sux !!

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I

I wonder if I can ammend my return when he gets a number.... hmmmmm this sux !!

hmmm, now that I dont know. I would think its a matter of will they even accept it to begin with.

someone will come along with an answer

Edited February 17, 2009 by Lisa wa Yazied

[LoveMyTico 999]

why do they have to make things so difficult when you are married??? Its no wonder why people just shack up and have a few kids. You make out better at the end of the year

[Y's_habibitk 2]

why do they have to make things so difficult when you are married??? Its no wonder why people just shack up and have a few kids. You make out better at the end of the year

so true...

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I

I wonder if I can ammend my return when he gets a number.... hmmmmm this sux !!

hmmm, now that I dont know. I would think its a matter of will they even accept it to begin with.

someone will come along with an answer

oh! you know, I read in the link I posted that you cant file the EIC if you are filing MFS.

check that link i posted..

so, I dont think ammending it would help. You can only claim EIC if you are filing HOH or MFJ

ok, its 5...gotta go, ive been working so hard today

ttyl

[loverboy2008 0]

You guys rock!!.

I am planning to file W-7 with my tax return . The problem I have is that my wife does not work and have absolutely no income. What do I do , I read the 519 from IRS but it does not point to any form. The other thing is that I have copies of her passport but they are not notarized.

Question 1.

What do I do in the situation where My wife dont have any income. Any one know any form number etc

Q 2

Will the tax form with MFJ need to be signed by her?

I am so frustrated by these taxes , if i files MFS I loose so much money. Please help!