getting married in PI and filing taxes for 2013

[teddy k 35]

hi everybody im getting married in dec in phil now when i come back to the states how would i file my 2013 taxes i dont know how its done some help would be nice thanks

[Darnell 8,478]

if wishing to file 'married filing jointly ' status

study IRS Form W-7 and it's instructions

and

prepare to file a paper return to the special IRS ITIN Intake address in Austin Texas.

Pay particular attention to identification requirements on the foreign spouse.

[Hank_ 9,174]

You're married!

OK joking aside, you still file single. You're wife won't have a SSN until she arrives in the states if I remember correctly for CR-1. You can't file a joint return without your wife having a SSN.

[teddy k 35]

hi everybody im getting married in dec in phil now when i come back to the states how would i file my 2013 taxes i dont know how its done some help would be nice thanks

:-) so Hank just file as being single to she gets here?

[Darnell 8,478]

You're married!

OK joking aside, you still file single. You're wife won't have a SSN until she arrives in the states if I remember correctly for CR-1. You can't file a joint return without your wife having a SSN.

many folk choose to chase after an ITIN an file 'married-filing jointly' status.

A tax return, showing this status, on the two humans, is great 'bonafide marriage evidence' and is actually listed in the I-130 instructions.

Sure, with such a quick submittal on the I-130, it's not shown with the I-130 for this couple, but it can be shown with the I-864 during NVC doc intake and of course again on interview day.

Filing single, IMO, is just too much a hassle. SSN not required for this filing status of 'married filing jointly', but, an ITIN is required. Chasing an ITIN is dead easy, but the major hurdle is the foreign spouse's ID requirements.

[Hank_ 9,174]

There are some tax advantages to filing married/joint. Just not sure how quick or easy it would be for the foreign spouse to get a TIN. I know they were always easy when acquiring them for business.

Reality is one or the other is needed to file jointly, the SSN is out for the moment, just never checked into a TIN for a foreign spouse... interesting idea.

[ppihtr123 68]

Below is an exert of the directions from the form 1040 instructions (top of pg13) found at http://www.irs.gov/p...s-pdf/i1040.pdf...

Single

You can check the box on line 1 if any

of the following was true on December

31.

• You were never married.
• You were legally separated according to your state law under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance. But if, at the end of 2012, your divorce was not final (an interlocutory decree), you are considered married and cannot check the box on line 1.
• You were widowed before January 1, 2012, and did not remarry before the end of 2012. But if you have a dependent child, you may be able to use the qualifying widow(er) filing status. See the instructions for line 5.

[Darnell 8,478]

There are some tax advantages to filing married/joint. Just not sure how quick or easy it would be for the foreign spouse to get a TIN. I know they were always easy when acquiring them for business.

Reality is one or the other is needed to file jointly, the SSN is out for the moment, just never checked into a TIN for a foreign spouse... interesting idea.

Idea? an interesting idea?

Really?

For others (myself included) we actually went through the work and pain of getting an ITIN whilst our foreign spouses were not in the USA.

Lots of folk have written about it, also. A modicum of search, using the advanced search section , would reveal most of the steps on the first page of the results.

Apologies if'n I sound cranky - we've filed jointly already for 3 years, and she's not been in the USA once.

[Hilario 13]

Actually you can't file single if your married, you can file married filing seperate. As far as the IRS is concerned you are married doesn't matter if she has a SSN or not you are married period.. You can file seperate and get an amendment when she gets here or chase the ITIN like I did, needed the extra cash for airfare if you know what I mean.

[Hank_ 9,174]

I guess one would have to be filing a tax return to even care....

[Darnell 8,478]

I guess one would have to be filing a tax return to even care....

Ah ! Yer speaking of the fella back at post #1.

Chasing an ITIN has changed, also - one can get it when filing a tax return.