CAN HUBBY ADD ME AS DEPENDANT EVEN IM STILL IN PHILIPPINES IN HIS ITR?

[allan-nhez 0]

CAN HUBBY ADD ME AS DEPENDANT EVEN IM STILL IN PHILIPPINES IN HIS ITR? how is the processing? thanks so much

[Dave&Roza 748]

CAN HUBBY ADD ME AS DEPENDANT EVEN IM STILL IN PHILIPPINES IN HIS ITR? how is the processing? thanks so much

Spouses are not DEPENDANTS. Children and relatives that you provide greater than 50% of their expenses can be considered dependents. Two people who are married have two choices for filing their tax returns: 1) Married filing seperately, and 2) married filing jointly. You will have to look at your income, deductions and all those other fun things involved with the tax code to determine which is best for you and your husband. If you have a SSN then adding you is very simple. If you do not have a SSN, you can apply for an ITIN. If you are already a LPR than you are required to file a tax return whether it is as married filing jointly or married filing seperately even though you live in the PI. That is one of those gotchas of being a LPR or USC is that the IRS wants a tax return so they can tax your worldwide income and that is why the USCIS asks for the last three years of the USC's tax returns because as a USC you are required to file each and every year--now whether you owe any taxes is a completely different topic and the IRS typically does not go after people who owe no taxes.

Good luck,

Dave

Edited November 6, 2012 by Dave&Roza

[allan-nhez 0]

Spouses are not DEPENDANTS. Children and relatives that you provide greater than 50% of their expenses can be considered dependents. Two people who are married have two choices for filing their tax returns: 1) Married filing seperately, and 2) married filing jointly. You will have to look at your income, deductions and all those other fun things involved with the tax code to determine which is best for you and your husband. If you have a SSN then adding you is very simple. If you do not have a SSN, you can apply for an ITIN. If you are already a LPR than you are required to file a tax return whether it is as married filing jointly or married filing seperately even though you live in the PI. That is one of those gotchas of being a LPR or USC is that the IRS wants a tax return so they can tax your worldwide income and that is why the USCIS asks for the last three years of the USC's tax returns because as a USC you are required to file each and every year--now whether you owe any taxes is a completely different topic and the IRS typically does not go after people who owe no taxes.

Good luck,

Dave

im am still in philippines my hubby is in USA.. we just got married last aug..

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Please explain what is that you wish to be added to as a dependant of. Your question is not clear.

[allan-nhez 0]

Please explain what is that you wish to be added to as a dependant of. Your question is not clear.

can my hubby add me as a dependant when he file a TAX return?

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Your husbands needs to contact the IRS and follow the process and procedures that they will instruct him on, after they have field his answers to their questions.

There is a process and procedure for adding a spouse, if they are not a legal resident of the US at the time of filing.

[Love's JAA 100]

CAN HUBBY ADD ME AS DEPENDANT EVEN IM STILL IN PHILIPPINES IN HIS ITR? how is the processing? thanks so much

here is a reference to the IRS website:

http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/U.S.-Citizens-and-Resident-Aliens-Abroad---Nonresident-Alien-Spouse

I wouldn't put too much weight on calling the IRS to get the correct answer. If you find it too complex, you might want to go to a CPA for your taxes, at least for the first year filing this way.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Love's JAA

[Love's JAA 100]

Here's another IRS publication, "US Tax Guide for Aliens" which is much more broad in scope:

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p519/index.html

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Here's another IRS publication, "US Tax Guide for Aliens" which is much more broad in scope:

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p519/index.html

It's okay to read the publications but it's not okay to call and trust the customer servicre rep on the phone.

SMH. Who do you think train the people on the phone, do you know what i-service is, and how it is ued in cutsomer service?

That's like telling someone if you are sick, don't call the hospital/doctors help line, just read the web for your diagnosis.

Edited November 6, 2012 by LIFE'SJOURNEY

[Love's JAA 100]

It's okay to read the publications but it's not okay to call and trust the customer servicre rep on the phone.

SMH. Who do you think train the people on the phone, do you know what i-service is, and how it is ued in cutsomer service?

That's like telling someone if you are sick, don't call the hospital/doctors help line, just read the web for your diagnosis.

You compare an agent of the IRS with a medical doctor? There's a big difference between the two. One is your advocate, and one is the advocate for the department that is seeking your money. Also, there's the issue of education and training. How much training and education does a doctor require as compared to an IRS rep? How about liability? If a doctor harms you, he will be liable. If an irs rep gives you wrong advice, you have no recourse.

Surveys taken in the past have shown taxpayers receiving correct answers to their questions, as low as 60%. Supposedly they have improved, however the the statistics are from internal audit reports, not any outside independent tests. Even with the current optimistic numbers, between the percentage of folks who can't even get through, plus the percent who do get through that get an inappropriate answer, you still have roughly 25-30% of the taxpayers who call getting no answer or an incorrect answer.

So that is why I said don't put too much weight on an answer from the IRS. I didn't say not to call. Do your own digging first, so at least you have an idea of what they are saying and if it makes sense. Don't rely on their answer without doing your homework. They are not first and foremost there for you. They are there to help make sure you send in a tax return and pay your taxes - not minimize your taxes.

I gave the two references as a place to start. They are not legal authority, but are at least written by those who know more than the IRS reps answering the phone. If the OP wants any further sources, I will be happy to cite some.

[Darnell 8,478]

Here's what my wife and I did.

She went to the US Embassy on an ACS appointment, and had her bio page of her passport notarized there (50 bucks)

then she signed the W-7 and 1040, along with a letter that stated we both wanted her to be declared a resident for tax purposes, sent all to me via fast post.

I then signed all the forms, sent all to the W-7 address listed in the instructions.

Got a check back 3 months later, along with an ITIN for my wife.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

You compare an agent of the IRS with a medical doctor? There's a big difference between the two. One is your advocate, and one is the advocate for the department that is seeking your money. Also, there's the issue of education and training. How much training and education does a doctor require as compared to an IRS rep? How about liability? If a doctor harms you, he will be liable. If an irs rep gives you wrong advice, you have no recourse.

Surveys taken in the past have shown taxpayers receiving correct answers to their questions, as low as 60%. Supposedly they have improved, however the the statistics are from internal audit reports, not any outside independent tests. Even with the current optimistic numbers, between the percentage of folks who can't even get through, plus the percent who do get through that get an inappropriate answer, you still have roughly 25-30% of the taxpayers who call getting no answer or an incorrect answer.

So that is why I said don't put too much weight on an answer from the IRS. I didn't say not to call. Do your own digging first, so at least you have an idea of what they are saying and if it makes sense. Don't rely on their answer without doing your homework. They are not first and foremost there for you. They are there to help make sure you send in a tax return and pay your taxes - not minimize your taxes.

The IRS rep will have up todate information, where as a website is only up todate base on who owns it.

I gave the two references as a place to start. They are not legal authority, but are at least written by those who know more than the IRS reps answering the phone. If the OP wants any further sources, I will be happy to cite some.

[Love's JAA 100]

The links I posted were to the IRS website. I hope they're website is up to date, since that is where they refer the bulk of their traffic to.

I get the feeling that you or someone close to you works for the IRS.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

The links I posted were to the IRS website. I hope they're website is up to date, since that is where they refer the bulk of their traffic to.

I get the feeling that you or someone close to you works for the IRS.

Nope I don't work for the IRS, I have a concern when people post judgemental statements about any qualify company when they themself are not SME on the topic. It's always best to go to the source for your up todate information than to rely on web sites links that are not owned by the company.

You refer to their web site, but you told the OP not to trust their customer service rep. My concern was your opening statement, that their cutomer service dept was not qualify to assist them.

[Love's JAA 100]

Nope I don't work for the IRS, I have a concern when people post judgemental statements about any qualify company when they themself are not SME on the topic. It's always best to go to the source for your up todate information than to rely on web sites links that are not owned by the company.

You refer to their web site, but you told the OP not to trust their customer service rep. My concern was your opening statement, that their cutomer service dept was not qualify to assist them.

You don't know my SME. The IRS is not an advocate of the taxpayer as I already said. They are not a "company" as you said that you hire for service. I also said that those that write the IRS publications and instructions are more knowledgeable than the reps answering the phones. I don't know why you are against my telling the OP to exercise caution, when it has been published that these reps have been collectively less than reliable in answering questions. Especially when you start to get off the beaten path of the usual 1040 EZ. Yeah they may have an answer, even correct. I just suggest that it not be relied on 100%. Do your homework. Don't rely on the taxman to tell you how to file your return.

How can you find fault with taking precaution?