Question about I-864

[birdnbloke 0]

I understand all the rules and poverty guidelines, etc for filling out this form, however I'm not sure how to report my "real" gross income as opposed to what is on my W-2's.

I need to show that I made $25,000 last year to qualify. My paycheck stub from December 2005 show that I made $25,586 for the entire year, but here's the catch.... My employer takes out pre-tax expenses for parking, health insurance, and retirement, which then puts my reported gross at only $21,500 on my W-2!!

I have a paper from my employer showing where my "actual" gross income before pre-tax deductions was over $25,000 and can get a letter from them showing where I got a raise to $27,000 starting in January 2007.

I can also show where I get about $ 6,000 per year for child support if they count that as income as well. (It's well documented through the Colorado Child Support Registry)

Before anyone suggests it, a co-sponsor is not an option.

There might be another option though....

We're not going to send off the paperwork till January and I'll be filing my 2006 taxes on the 15th, and this year I don't have to claim my son as a dependent because he's 18 and no longer living in my house full-time. That would lower the required income level for sponsorship to $20,000 and would take care of the after pre-tax deductions gross reported income on my W-2's.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[YuAndDan 153]

Use gross income from your tax return, the amount that you state should be enough to meet the 125% poverty line.

Get Tax transcripts from the IRS they are free and will show gross income, and include them with your I-864.

http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq1-6.html

[birdnbloke 0]

Use gross income from your tax return, the amount that you state should be enough to meet the 125% poverty line.

Get Tax transcripts from the IRS they are free and will show gross income, and include them with your I-864.

http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq1-6.html

The problem is that on the W-2, it shows my gross income as being lower because they deduct my pre-tax expenditures from my actual yearly pay. My paycheck stub shows that earned $25,500 for the entire year (gross) which is what would normally be reported on the W-2, but since they take out money to pay my health insurance, parking, and retirement, they report my gross as lower than it actually is, because they let us use "pre-tax" money for these things.

Edited December 4, 2006 by birdnbloke

[rebeccajo 14]

You can use your child support if you can document it. I did this successfully when our AOS was processed, and that was before the rule changes in July that made the use of support official.

The line on the 1040 they look at is Line 22.

Edited December 4, 2006 by rebeccajo

[Yodrak 7]

birdnbloke,

There are two different questions on the I-864 about income - current annual income and income as reported on your most recent federal tax return. Base your current annual income on your most recent pay statement, multiplying the pay period amount by the number of pay periods in a year. (Add in any other income you may receive from other sources as well.)

Yodrak

I understand all the rules and poverty guidelines, etc for filling out this form, however I'm not sure how to report my "real" gross income as opposed to what is on my W-2's.

I need to show that I made $25,000 last year to qualify. My paycheck stub from December 2005 show that I made $25,586 for the entire year, but here's the catch.... My employer takes out pre-tax expenses for parking, health insurance, and retirement, which then puts my reported gross at only $21,500 on my W-2!!

I have a paper from my employer showing where my "actual" gross income before pre-tax deductions was over $25,000 and can get a letter from them showing where I got a raise to $27,000 starting in January 2007.

I can also show where I get about $ 6,000 per year for child support if they count that as income as well. (It's well documented through the Colorado Child Support Registry)

Before anyone suggests it, a co-sponsor is not an option.

There might be another option though....

We're not going to send off the paperwork till January and I'll be filing my 2006 taxes on the 15th, and this year I don't have to claim my son as a dependent because he's 18 and no longer living in my house full-time. That would lower the required income level for sponsorship to $20,000 and would take care of the after pre-tax deductions gross reported income on my W-2's.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[birdnbloke 0]

Ahhh, thank you for mentioning that!

birdnbloke,

There are two different questions on the I-864 about income - current annual income and income as reported on your most recent federal tax return. Base your current annual income on your most recent pay statement, multiplying the pay period amount by the number of pay periods in a year. (Add in any other income you may receive from other sources as well.)

Yodrak