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Yanky009

Married Filing Jointly or Separately?

By Yanky009 in Tax & Finances During US Immigration

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Yanky009 Apprentice

Yanky009   3

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Nigeria
 Timeline
Posted

Hi everyone!

I just want to make sure I'm good on filing my tax returns. My husband is not in the US..has never been here. With tax season here, I just want to know if I should file jointly or separately

Thank you!

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aaron2020 Grand Master

aaron2020   11,651

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Filed: Country: Vietnam (no flag)
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You can choose between filing married filing separately or married filing jointly. Do not file as single since you are no longer single.

Choose married filing separately if you will only want to report your income.

Choose married filing jointly if your husband wants to be treated as a US taxpayer. You will file for an ITIN (Tax ID because he does not have a Social Security Number). You will report your husband's income along with yours.

Generally choosing MFJ will get you a lower tax bill and bigger refund if the foreign spouse has little or no income.

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Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Tax & Finances During US Immigration forum.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

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aaron2020 Grand Master

aaron2020   11,651

Posted
Filed: Country: Vietnam (no flag)
 Timeline
Posted

Thank you very much. So if I file separately, does he have to do anything when he gets his visa and moves down here?

Nope, there is nothing that you have to do once he immigrates here.

However, the MFS choice will mean a big tax bill. Bigger than when you were single.

If money is not an issue (meaning you don't need your tax refund to live on), then I would file MFS. Once he gets here and has an SSN, amend your return to MFJ. As long as you were married on Dec. 31, 2015, you can amend to file jointly even if he gets his visa in 2016 or afterwards.

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MrsBeaver Explorer

MrsBeaver   21

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Nigeria
 Timeline
Posted

Last year, I filed HOH and my accountant (a real CPA) advised me to file HOH. My husband wasn't and I didn't want to apply for ITN number. I called the IRS to be sure and they told me it was fine to file HOH even with my different last name. This year I can amend my taxes since he now has a SSN card.

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Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

**Hijack post removed.**

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
Ellie and Fron Contributor

Ellie and Fron   10

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Dominican Republic
 Timeline
Posted

My husband moved here in October (K1 visa) we were married December 3rd and he got a social security number and health care in January. I picked married filing jointly. Is that right? We are waiting for his work authorization to come in so I only had my W2's and income entered.

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Nich-Nick Grand Master

Nich-Nick   3,354

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

My husband moved here in October (K1 visa) we were married December 3rd and he got a social security number and health care in January. I picked married filing jointly. Is that right? We are waiting for his work authorization to come in so I only had my W2's and income entered.

I answered your identical post in the other thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/584271-another-vjer-confused-about-filing-for-tax/?p=8020085

England.gifENGLAND ---

K-1 Timeline 4 months, 19 days 03-10-08 VSC to 7-29-08 Interview London

10-05-08 Married

AOS Timeline 5 months, 14 days 10-9-08 to 3-23-09 No interview

Removing Conditions Timeline 5 months, 20 days12-27-10 to 06-10-11 No interview

Citizenship Timeline 3 months, 26 days 12-31-11 Dallas to 4-26-12 Interview Houston

05-16-12 Oath ceremony

The journey from Fiancé to US citizenship:

4 years, 2 months, 6 days

243 pages of forms/documents submitted

No RFEs

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