Taxes - Nonresident Alien Vs Resident Alien

[UKUSA 17]

Hi Guys,

I'm just doing my taxes for this year and it's getting quite complicated. I need to establish some information, I've read the helpful info here on this forum referring to the IRS guide but I just wanted to clarify im reading this correctly. US Entry dates for 2016:

1st Jan - 31st Jan In the US on Visa Waiver 

1st Feb - 9th April In UK while K1 processed and worked. 

10th April - POE JFK on K1 

 

From what I understand, once I had the 31 consecutive days/183 days over the last 3 year period I became a resident alien for tax purposes. According to the IRS guide on the matter, when you hit the appropriate number of days in the country - the date you became a resident alien generally becomes the first time you entered that country in a calendar year, not the day you hit the number of days required. 

 

So in my case, as I was here for the 1st of Jan 2016 anyway, the income earned in the UK (from Feb-April) would therefore be liable to US taxation. 

Is this correct?

 

 

[Kastrs 723]

Unless you earned a very large sum of money (~100k USD) during the ~2 months you were in the UK the money will be listed on your US tax forms but will all be excluded from taxation under the foreign earned income exclusion 

[UKUSA 17]

Thanks Kastrs! I appreciate that but I'm curious if I'm filing correctly. 

 

I sadly didn't make a huge amount of money but I was wondering if I'm filing correctly as if I didn't become a resident alien I wouldn't even need to report this.

[Kastrs 723]

You are a resident for tax purposes, you spent more than half the year last year in the US, also since you should be married, it will generally be advantageous to file with your spouse as married filing joint