Filing as married jointly. what to include. need help ASAP!

[BonDrago 0]

My husband moved here to US in Sept 2013 and we were married Oct 2013. He is still not a resident, however, we will be filing our taxes married jointly.

Only I worked in the US last year. The only income he received during the year were his bank interest and stock dividends from the UK.

Do we report the full year of his interest and dividends or just from September - December 2013.

Thanks for any help!!!

[Ralph and Meghan 19]

I would file the taxes in UK only for him because he didn't work in the US. I didn't work in 2013 either and we decided to file separately. It makes it a little easier.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

Assuming he had a SSN or ITIN, you'll likely benefit from writing a letter indicating your wish to treat him as a resident for the entire tax year. You can then do MFJ and take the married deduction. Fill out form 2555 to claim his income (but not get taxed on it) and schedule B to report interest and dividends.

We just sent ours last week. Nich Nick has some amazing posts about taxes. She's on a break from VJ, but search her posts on here. You won't be disappointed!

[BonDrago 0]

We already decided to file married jointly, he has a SS#.

I just didn't know if it was ok to just report the interest earned starting from September. Or does it need to be the whole year's worth.

The full years worth came out to about $4300 USD (converted from pounds) in interest for the year. which seems to have added $2450 to what we now owe!!! Yikes that's 50% which seems wrong. (done on Turbo Tax)

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

We already decided to file married jointly, he has a SS#.

I just didn't know if it was ok to just report the interest earned starting from September. Or does it need to be the whole year's worth.

The full years worth came out to about $4300 USD (converted from pounds) in interest for the year. which seems to have added $2450 to what we now owe!!! Yikes that's 50% which seems wrong. (done on Turbo Tax)

Filing jointly usually results in the lowest taxes. Even though the interest income is not considered earned income for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion you can still take a foreign tax credit for any UK taxes your spouse paid on the interest income.

[BonDrago 0]

Do I report the full year of interest, or just from when he moved to the US in Sept 2013?

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

Do I report the full year of interest, or just from when he moved to the US in Sept 2013?

If you are filing jointly with your spouse then you will report the full year of interest. If you are filing married filing separately then I don't think your spouse has to report the interest income since it is foreign sourced income.

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

My husband moved here to US in Sept 2013 and we were married Oct 2013. He is still not a resident, however, we will be filing our taxes married jointly.

Only I worked in the US last year. The only income he received during the year were his bank interest and stock dividends from the UK.

Do we report the full year of his interest and dividends or just from September - December 2013.

Thanks for any help!!!

I just wanted to make sure that you understand that since at the end of 2013 your husband was still a nonresident alien that the only way you can file a joint return for 2013 is for both of you to attach an election statement to the joint return stating that you want your spouse to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes for 2013. This also means that you can't file electronically but must mail your paper return to the IRS.

[BonDrago 0]

I just wanted to make sure that you understand that since at the end of 2013 your husband was still a nonresident alien that the only way you can file a joint return for 2013 is for both of you to attach an election statement to the joint return stating that you want your spouse to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes for 2013. This also means that you can't file electronically but must mail your paper return to the IRS.

Yes, I plan on printing out the form from Turbo Tax and then mailing it in.

Thank you for the help!!! Do you have any idea if there is a certain form to make an election statement on? Or just type someting up ourselves? If that's the case, what should it say exactly?

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

Yes, I plan on printing out the form from Turbo Tax and then mailing it in.

Thank you for the help!!! Do you have any idea if there is a certain form to make an election statement on? Or just type someting up ourselves? If that's the case, what should it say exactly?

There is no form. You have to prepare the statement yourself. Page 9 of IRS Publication 519 - U. S. Tax Guide for Aliens has a section titled "Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident." In this section it explains what the statement must contain. Here is the excerpt:

How To Make the Choice

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information.

1. A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of your tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year.

2. The name, address, and identification number of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.)

Here is a link to the publication: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf