Filling taxes after marriage; I10

[Lmst 1]

Hi. This may was asked before but I really can't find anything.

My husband is trying to file his taxes right now. He is a US citizen. I am a non US citizen and do not life in the USA. I am filling my taxes in Germany.

He is saying that I need a I10 number for him to file taxes.

I actually do not really understand why and if that is actually true or if he is messing something up.

Thank you for your help.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

He can file jointly with you but you need to have a Social Security number (not eligible yet) or an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). To get that requires your actual passport in the US so he can take it to an IRS center and get it verified. Then he sends the ITIN application, with his tax return to a special filing address. They will process the ITIN and assign it to the tax return, then process your joint return. There is no e-filing.

You both will have to sign a statement to include with the tax return that you both elect for you to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes. He will also need to know how much money you earned in Germany during 2014 and report it as income on your joint tax return. There is a Form 2555EZ that will allow your foreign income to be excluded up to almost $100,000.

It is complicated but can be done and will likely save him some tax money. Make sure he understands it isn't an easy process and he must report your income if he files jointly with you.

[Lmst 1]

Thank you so much for your help.

I'm flying to the US next week so technically we could do it. Do you know by any chance that if we do it does that mean that I cannot file taxes in Germany?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thank you so much for your help.

I'm flying to the US next week so technically we could do it. Do you know by any chance that if we do it does that mean that I cannot file taxes in Germany?

You keep doing your obligation to Germany as long as you are resident there.

This is a separate thing. The US Isn't actually taxing your German income, but they need to know about it.

He would have to file married because he got married in 2014. Married Filing Separately usually costs more than Married Filing Jointly. And because your income gets to be excluded on Form 2555EZ, he effectively gets the extra exemption and standard deduction for a spouse reducing his taxable income by over $10,000. And that's where the joint savings come in.

Here's the page listing IRS places to get your passport certified so you don't have to actually mail it off with the tax return http://www.irs.gov/uac/TAC-Locations-Where-In-Person-Document-Verification-is-Provided

This is the special filing address for his tax return and your ITIN application

Internal Revenue Service

Austin Service Center

ITIN Operation

P.O. Box 149342

Austin, TX 78714-9342

Edited February 22, 2015 by Nich-Nick

[Darnell 8,478]

I 10 = itin.

prep return , include IRS form W-7 and F2555 on you.

include cover letter notifying the IRS that you two are electing for YOU to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes, based on marriage.

prep all to be sent to the special IRS ITIN office in Austin TX, per the W-7 instructions. No e-filing this first year, sorry.

READ the W-7 intructions, also as well as F2555 instructions.

practice filling out the forms, understand the ID requirements .

[Lmst 1]

Thank you so much for your answers. That really helps