It's that time, tax season

[twin810s 23]

Well I guess my last one did not post, so I'll try this again.

I see this has been asked a few different ways, but every answer is different. And I’m coming on here cause it was proven to me again to just ask/look on VJ rather than going to an attorney/accountant because they do not know or suggest the wrong things aka fraud.

So, I typically just use TurboTax online and file a 1040EZ. Piece of cake. But with me being married to a Canadian now, it is a bit difficult it seems. I’ve looked on here previously and read that we should file “Married, filing separately” and enter “NRA” for my spouses SSN/ITIN. I called H&R Block and was told I have to enter a SSN/ITIN number for my spouse who I repeatedly told does not live here yet and we do not have those numbers. She then advised me to file “Single” which I know that is not the right answer. I told her I’ve read from many others in my situation that they filed Married, filing separately and the “NRA” thing and she had no idea what I was talking about. I even called the IRS and the people just basically type your question and give a robotic answer with no answer really.

So, what should I do in my situation? Do I manually do the 1040A and write “NRA” or what?

Any help would be very much appreciative.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

A paper 1040 EZ is like one page long, so you could easily do it by hand and mail it in. I don't know how one would do it on Turbotax, though.

If you do EZ, you could look into efile through IRS, or they even have (or at least had) a way to file EZ by telephone.

Married, filing separately, is correct.

Edit: I just checked and EZ is not available for married filing separately. You'd have to do a normal 1040, but if you otherwise qualify for EZ you'd only need to fill a few lines.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Harpa Timsah

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

You should file as Married Filing Separately instead of Single. The instruction to enter "NRA" for your spouse can be found in the sixth paragraph of the left column on page 22 of IRS Publication 17. Here is the link to the publication:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf

[twin810s 23]

Thank you...I went to the IRS website and just looked around a little. I was able to file using fileyourtaxes.com and it had a box to check for my situation, that I was filing "Married, but separately" and to state that my spouse did not live in the states and no SSN was available. It went through just find electronically and used a 1040A. So, just an FYI to everyone else, this worked great...and we'll know for sure once the IRS receives it to see if they will accept it ha.

[O&Z 1]

My accountant also told me to do Married filing separate. He did tell me, though, that because of this, he could not file it electronically and it had to be mailed in. So that is what I did the past few years.

this tax season - hubby is here now as PR but wasn't working in the US for 2013, so we shall see.

i hope that helps!

Edited March 27, 2014 by O&Z