filing taxes

[avoci 0]

Hi there,

I am married and getting ready to file my taxes. My husband lives overseas and is not currently working. I have read a lot about this ITIN number. I am utterly confused... Several tax accountants I've spoken to seem to be confused too. I have done a lot of reading and it's only confusing me more. Does my husband have to file for this ITIN number? Do I send in my tax return WITH it? Do I file married joint ot married separate? He does not have an income and due to my being overseas, my income is minimal this year. I am a teacher and for this tax year I have only worked from August. Some people have said they just marked that they were single, but that concerns me because I am MARRIED.

Any help would be great (especially if you have done this)!

Thanks,

Amy

[Nikita2Charles 32]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

[avoci 0]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

So, if I was married June 23, 2006???

[payxibka 10,045]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

So, if I was married June 23, 2006???

You are married for tax purposes.... Your choices are:

Married filing separate (ITIN required)

Married filing joint (ITIN required)

Head of Household (only if you have another qualifying person)

If the tax accountants don't understand it then you to find different tax accountants as I am not sure an immigration board is a good place to get tax advice

Edited February 3, 2007 by fwaguy

[avoci 0]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

So, if I was married June 23, 2006???

You are married for tax purposes.... Your choices are:

Married filing separate (ITIN required)

Married filing joint (ITIN required)

Head of Household (only if you have another qualifying person)

If the tax accountants don't understand it then you to find different tax accountants as I am not sure an immigration board is a good place to get tax advice

I hear ya

[John and Sonya 0]

Hi there,

I am married and getting ready to file my taxes. My husband lives overseas and is not currently working. I have read a lot about this ITIN number. I am utterly confused... Several tax accountants I've spoken to seem to be confused too. I have done a lot of reading and it's only confusing me more. Does my husband have to file for this ITIN number? Do I send in my tax return WITH it? Do I file married joint ot married separate? He does not have an income and due to my being overseas, my income is minimal this year. I am a teacher and for this tax year I have only worked from August. Some people have said they just marked that they were single, but that concerns me because I am MARRIED.

Any help would be great (especially if you have done this)!

Thanks,

Amy

If you donot want to file your own taxes, goto IRS.gov and look up info on ITIN or go directly to http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

Its not proper for any of us to advise you on tax related issues since so many variable can be existing. There are places like certain H&R Block that deals with overseas spouse. Very basically you need to file your taxes ( If married in 2006) as married filing jointly or seperately. If jointly, need to send in a W-7 with your tax return to get ITIN. Use the link above to read some info as well as to find a "Acceptance Agent" who can prepare your taxes as well as take care of your W-7, goto .http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96304,00.html

My example is we are married in 2006, she has no taxable income in Ukraine, so we filed Married filed jointly and I turned in my tax returns with my W-7.

[MargotDarko 0]

Here's my situation and how I'm handling it.

We were married in Sept 2006, so I have to file as married. I did not make any money in the US last year, but I did pay some tax-deductible student loan interest. To put the student loan interest as tax-deductible, I have to file as - married, filing jointly. I'm going to help my hubby complete the W-7 and send it with my 1040 and 2555 (foreign income exclusion), and my paperwork from my student loan lender to the Austin, TX address I found on the IRS web site. Before I send everything, I'm going to call the IRS and ask a couple basic questions about the form.

www.irs.gov is a helpful web site and I've heard of people having good experiences when calling their help lines.

From my interpretation of your situation, you have to filed married. You will probably find it best to file - married, filing jointly. You will send the W7 (application for ITIN) with your tax return to the Austin, TX address or through an elgible agent (look on www.irs.gov). They will process the application for the ITIN there and then your tax return will be processed with the new number for your spouse. If you have been in the foreign country for 330 days of any 12 months in a row starting or ending in 2006, you'll also need the 2555 to prove you don't owe any US taxes on foreign earned money under $82,000 USD.

[avoci 0]

Here's my situation and how I'm handling it.

We were married in Sept 2006, so I have to file as married. I did not make any money in the US last year, but I did pay some tax-deductible student loan interest. To put the student loan interest as tax-deductible, I have to file as - married, filing jointly. I'm going to help my hubby complete the W-7 and send it with my 1040 and 2555 (foreign income exclusion), and my paperwork from my student loan lender to the Austin, TX address I found on the IRS web site. Before I send everything, I'm going to call the IRS and ask a couple basic questions about the form.

www.irs.gov is a helpful web site and I've heard of people having good experiences when calling their help lines.

From my interpretation of your situation, you have to filed married. You will probably find it best to file - married, filing jointly. You will send the W7 (application for ITIN) with your tax return to the Austin, TX address or through an elgible agent (look on www.irs.gov). They will process the application for the ITIN there and then your tax return will be processed with the new number for your spouse. If you have been in the foreign country for 330 days of any 12 months in a row starting or ending in 2006, you'll also need the 2555 to prove you don't owe any US taxes on foreign earned money under $82,000 USD.

Can I file jointly even if my husband has no income? I live in the US, he does not.

[payxibka 10,045]

Here's my situation and how I'm handling it.

We were married in Sept 2006, so I have to file as married. I did not make any money in the US last year, but I did pay some tax-deductible student loan interest. To put the student loan interest as tax-deductible, I have to file as - married, filing jointly. I'm going to help my hubby complete the W-7 and send it with my 1040 and 2555 (foreign income exclusion), and my paperwork from my student loan lender to the Austin, TX address I found on the IRS web site. Before I send everything, I'm going to call the IRS and ask a couple basic questions about the form.

www.irs.gov is a helpful web site and I've heard of people having good experiences when calling their help lines.

From my interpretation of your situation, you have to filed married. You will probably find it best to file - married, filing jointly. You will send the W7 (application for ITIN) with your tax return to the Austin, TX address or through an elgible agent (look on www.irs.gov). They will process the application for the ITIN there and then your tax return will be processed with the new number for your spouse. If you have been in the foreign country for 330 days of any 12 months in a row starting or ending in 2006, you'll also need the 2555 to prove you don't owe any US taxes on foreign earned money under $82,000 USD.

Can I file jointly even if my husband has no income? I live in the US, he does not.

There is one exception that will allow you to file joint if your spouse is a non-resident alien.

[MargotDarko 0]

Here's my situation and how I'm handling it.

We were married in Sept 2006, so I have to file as married. I did not make any money in the US last year, but I did pay some tax-deductible student loan interest. To put the student loan interest as tax-deductible, I have to file as - married, filing jointly. I'm going to help my hubby complete the W-7 and send it with my 1040 and 2555 (foreign income exclusion), and my paperwork from my student loan lender to the Austin, TX address I found on the IRS web site. Before I send everything, I'm going to call the IRS and ask a couple basic questions about the form.

www.irs.gov is a helpful web site and I've heard of people having good experiences when calling their help lines.

From my interpretation of your situation, you have to filed married. You will probably find it best to file - married, filing jointly. You will send the W7 (application for ITIN) with your tax return to the Austin, TX address or through an elgible agent (look on www.irs.gov). They will process the application for the ITIN there and then your tax return will be processed with the new number for your spouse. If you have been in the foreign country for 330 days of any 12 months in a row starting or ending in 2006, you'll also need the 2555 to prove you don't owe any US taxes on foreign earned money under $82,000 USD.

Can I file jointly even if my husband has no income? I live in the US, he does not.

I plan to enter $0 income for my hubby on the joint form and I'll be asking someone at the IRS if he needs to fill out a 2555 to claim his UK income as exempt.

[zyggy 9]

A USC that has a non-resident alien spouse always has the option of treating their non-resident spouse as a resident alien spouse for tax purposes and therefore file as married filing joint. THis is usually the best way to file as it allow the USC to better tax advantages of this status...

You have to file a W-7 to get a ITIN number for the non-resident spouse. You file this, your 1040, and a statement of your election and sent it to the International Tax Office in Philadelphia.

However, if you decide to treat your non-resident alien spouse as a resident alien for tax purposes, you have to report their worldwide income. However, you can subsequently exclude any income by the non-resident alien spouse earned outside the US by filing a Form 2225 with your 1040. You can exclude up to $82,400 of foreign income..

Here's my situation and how I'm handling it.

We were married in Sept 2006, so I have to file as married. I did not make any money in the US last year, but I did pay some tax-deductible student loan interest. To put the student loan interest as tax-deductible, I have to file as - married, filing jointly. I'm going to help my hubby complete the W-7 and send it with my 1040 and 2555 (foreign income exclusion), and my paperwork from my student loan lender to the Austin, TX address I found on the IRS web site. Before I send everything, I'm going to call the IRS and ask a couple basic questions about the form.

www.irs.gov is a helpful web site and I've heard of people having good experiences when calling their help lines.

From my interpretation of your situation, you have to filed married. You will probably find it best to file - married, filing jointly. You will send the W7 (application for ITIN) with your tax return to the Austin, TX address or through an elgible agent (look on www.irs.gov). They will process the application for the ITIN there and then your tax return will be processed with the new number for your spouse. If you have been in the foreign country for 330 days of any 12 months in a row starting or ending in 2006, you'll also need the 2555 to prove you don't owe any US taxes on foreign earned money under $82,000 USD.

You don't send the package to the Austin TX Tax Service Center.. you send everything to the address given on the W-7 in Philadelphia.

Edited February 5, 2007 by zyggy

[zyggy 9]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

So, if I was married June 23, 2006???

You are married for tax purposes.... Your choices are:

Married filing separate (ITIN required)

Married filing joint (ITIN required)

Head of Household (only if you have another qualifying person)

If the tax accountants don't understand it then you to find different tax accountants as I am not sure an immigration board is a good place to get tax advice

THere are people on the immigration boards who are qualified to give tax advice..

[payxibka 10,045]

I can only answer from my experience, when I file my taxes, I found out that even though I was married, I had to file Single for the prior year date ending December 31. If you were married before that your IRS status is married.

So, if I was married June 23, 2006???

You are married for tax purposes.... Your choices are:

Married filing separate (ITIN required)

Married filing joint (ITIN required)

Head of Household (only if you have another qualifying person)

If the tax accountants don't understand it then you to find different tax accountants as I am not sure an immigration board is a good place to get tax advice

THere are people on the immigration boards who are qualified to give tax advice..

I agree but there are a lot more who give advice who shouldn't.

[MargotDarko 0]

You don't send the package to the Austin TX Tax Service Center.. you send everything to the address given on the W-7 in Philadelphia.

This is the address on the form:

Internal Revenue Service

ITIN Operation

P.O. Box 149342

Austin, TX 78714-9342

[Henia 11]

Hi there,

I am married and getting ready to file my taxes. My husband lives overseas and is not currently working. I have read a lot about this ITIN number. I am utterly confused... Several tax accountants I've spoken to seem to be confused too. I have done a lot of reading and it's only confusing me more. Does my husband have to file for this ITIN number? Do I send in my tax return WITH it? Do I file married joint ot married separate? He does not have an income and due to my being overseas, my income is minimal this year. I am a teacher and for this tax year I have only worked from August. Some people have said they just marked that they were single, but that concerns me because I am MARRIED.

Any help would be great (especially if you have done this)!

Thanks,

Amy

If you donot want to file your own taxes, goto IRS.gov and look up info on ITIN or go directly to http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

Its not proper for any of us to advise you on tax related issues since so many variable can be existing. There are places like certain H&R Block that deals with overseas spouse. Very basically you need to file your taxes ( If married in 2006) as married filing jointly or seperately. If jointly, need to send in a W-7 with your tax return to get ITIN. Use the link above to read some info as well as to find a "Acceptance Agent" who can prepare your taxes as well as take care of your W-7, goto .http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96304,00.html

My example is we are married in 2006, she has no taxable income in Ukraine, so we filed Married filed jointly and I turned in my tax returns with my W-7.

But what if the spouse had income (they paid the taxes in their country of orgin) Would you then have to pay taxes here as well, paying 2x? Sorry I may be confusing myself. Do we have to file jointly even if the spouse lives aboard and you live in the US? ANd it was mentioned before 'file jointly to take advtange of the tax benefits'.... sorry for my ignorance but what are they?

Edited February 6, 2007 by Henia