AOS request for initial evidence - i-864 tax documentation

[mowerol 1]

My wife and I received a Request for Initial Evidence for our AOS application as they want more tax documentation and a joint sponsor or proof of assets.

Basically, my wife/sponsor only worked abroad last year for a total of 5 months as we were on working holidays in Australia and so her income on her 2015 tax transcript we submitted is below the poverty guidelines. Despite having a new job since August, earning well over the poverty guidelines (even if you only take into account August through to the end of 2016), providing a copy of her contract and all her pay-stubs so far, they have deemed her below the poverty threshold.

We've opted to go for a joint sponsor rather than argue our case as her mom is happy to help us out and that seems more straight-forward at this stage.

Despite all of this, we've still been asked to "Submit all supporting tax documentation (W-2s, 1099s, Form 2555, and all supporting tax schedules) submitted to Internal Revenue Service for the most recent tax year" for my wife's original application.

As she only worked for 5 months abroad, she didn't receive any W-2s nor 1099s and was inilegible for Form 2555.

We are a bit stumped with what we need to provide for this. Will a simple letter explaining that none of these documents were sent to IRS as she didn't work in the US help at all? You think they'd be able to figure out that she wouldn't have any to submit by looking at her tax transcript and seeing that her only employer was in Australia.

Any help or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!