tax question ...need help ASAP!

[Maverick64 0]

My fiance arrived Dec. 13th, we married Dec 15th. For taxes in 2009 we are making the statement of considering her a resident alien for tax purposes. I know that I have to claim her income in 2009 in Panama using form 2555 EZ...although it was not much (1400$). I am confused about how this information is entered into form 1040. The instructions for 2555EZ says to enter the amount she earned on line 21 in parenthesis but then subtract it from my income for the total on line 22. I called IRS and they told me to add her income in with mine for the total on line 7, then put the 1400$ on line 21 in parenthesis and subtarct it for the total amount to be put on line 22. What I dont understand is that all the lines 7-21 are ADDED UP...does the parentesis tell them it should really be subtracted????? Also when you get to the instructions for line 44 of the 1040 it tell me I have to find my total tax factoring in her income also. is this right? This is sooo confusing and I am running out of time! Help!!!!!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

My fiance arrived Dec. 13th, we married Dec 15th. For taxes in 2009 we are making the statement of considering her a resident alien for tax purposes. I know that I have to claim her income in 2009 in Panama using form 2555 EZ...although it was not much (1400$). I am confused about how this information is entered into form 1040. The instructions for 2555EZ says to enter the amount she earned on line 21 in parenthesis but then subtract it from my income for the total on line 22. I called IRS and they told me to add her income in with mine for the total on line 7, then put the 1400$ on line 21 in parenthesis and subtarct it for the total amount to be put on line 22. What I dont understand is that all the lines 7-21 are ADDED UP...does the parentesis tell them it should really be subtracted????? Also when you get to the instructions for line 44 of the 1040 it tell me I have to find my total tax factoring in her income also. is this right? This is sooo confusing and I am running out of time! Help!!!!!

Putting a number in parentheses makes it a negative number. You are adding it to your wage income, and then substracting it out, since your spouse made less than the maximum exemption for foreign income.