Affidavit of Support - Joint Sponsor Income Calculation

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

I, the petitioning sponsor, am working on Steps 4 and 5 of my wife's IR-1 visa application process.

The earnings from my current part-time job in Japan plus my wife and my combined assets may put us over the required 25% above the poverty line (125% of poverty).

But to be safe, my mother (who files taxes jointly with my father), will be the only joint sponsor.
Also, my father sent me a signed letter on his business letterhead saying there's a full-time position paying $15/hr. effective when I make landfall in the US.
 

My question is, how should my mother calculate her earnings for 2017?
-Simply add together line 1 from both of her W-2 forms [...which wouldn't show their earnings from real estate sales from their other business.(Yes, I know; real estate holdings must be proven with further documentation.)]?

-Split their adjusted gross income from their 1040?
-Other?

Thank you for reading!


Kind Regards,

Itchy

[Ryan H 3,812]

14 hours ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

The earnings from my current part-time job in Japan

 

Will this source of income continue after you return to the USA?  If not, then it cannot be counted.

[pushbrk 12,881]

On 10/24/2018 at 5:12 AM, ItchyKneeSon said:

I, the petitioning sponsor, am working on Steps 4 and 5 of my wife's IR-1 visa application process.

The earnings from my current part-time job in Japan plus my wife and my combined assets may put us over the required 25% above the poverty line (125% of poverty).

But to be safe, my mother (who files taxes jointly with my father), will be the only joint sponsor.
Also, my father sent me a signed letter on his business letterhead saying there's a full-time position paying $15/hr. effective when I make landfall in the US.
 

My question is, how should my mother calculate her earnings for 2017?
-Simply add together line 1 from both of her W-2 forms [...which wouldn't show their earnings from real estate sales from their other business.(Yes, I know; real estate holdings must be proven with further documentation.)]?

-Split their adjusted gross income from their 1040?
-Other?

Thank you for reading!


Kind Regards,

Itchy

Your mother's current income would come from her job.  Real Estate income is from the past.  It is not ongoing.  Don't confuse the prior tax section with the current income section.

 

Your part time job is not "current income you are using to qualify".

Edited October 25, 2018 by pushbrk

[payxibka 10,045]

On 10/24/2018 at 5:12 AM, ItchyKneeSon said:

I, the petitioning sponsor, am working on Steps 4 and 5 of my wife's IR-1 visa application process.

The earnings from my current part-time job in Japan plus my wife and my combined assets may put us over the required 25% above the poverty line (125% of poverty).

But to be safe, my mother (who files taxes jointly with my father), will be the only joint sponsor.
Also, my father sent me a signed letter on his business letterhead saying there's a full-time position paying $15/hr. effective when I make landfall in the US.
 

My question is, how should my mother calculate her earnings for 2017?
-Simply add together line 1 from both of her W-2 forms [...which wouldn't show their earnings from real estate sales from their other business.(Yes, I know; real estate holdings must be proven with further documentation.)]?

-Split their adjusted gross income from their 1040?
-Other?

Thank you for reading!


Kind Regards,

Itchy

If reported on schedule C or schedule E, maybe but if reported on schedule D then it's old news

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

On 10/25/2018 at 9:59 AM, Ryan H said:

 

Will this source of income continue after you return to the USA?  If not, then it cannot be counted.

No, it will not.  I will be including a job offer letter to show that I'll have my own sufficient income once I'm back in the US, which will likely be before my wife heads over.
 

On 10/25/2018 at 11:44 PM, pushbrk said:

Your mother's current income would come from her job.  Real Estate income is from the past.  It is not ongoing.  Don't confuse the prior tax section with the current income section.

 

Your part time job is not "current income you are using to qualify".

That makes sense.
But, I was referring to the requirement to report the previous year's earnings (in this case 2017).
Quoted here:  >>"If you provide a photocopy of your Federal individual income tax returns, you must include a copy of each and every Form W-2 and Form 1099 that relates to your returns. Do not include copies of these forms if you provide an IRS transcript of your Federal individual income tax returns rather than a photocopy unless you filed a joint income tax return with your spouse and are qualifying using only your income."<<
So, for my mother, as required, will only be sending her 2017 earnings with her W-2 forms and 1099 form.

I will send tax transcripts for myself from the last 3 years, which all show $0 as my earnings have been foreign, reported, and less than the required minimum for paying taxes on foreign earnings (something like $96k?, if I remember correctly).
Quoted here:  >>"As stated previously, you must submit an IRS transcript or copy of your Federal individual income tax return for the most recent tax year. If you choose to rely on income from the three most recent tax years, you must submit an IRS transcript or copy of your Federal individual income tax return."<<

Do I have the right idea on this?
 

On 10/25/2018 at 11:49 PM, payxibka said:

If reported on schedule C or schedule E, maybe but if reported on schedule D then it's old news

I don't know anything about tax reporting schedules.
I simply made foreign income (salary and part-time hourly) and reported it.
A quick Googling shows that different schedules are based on interest earnings, investments, etc.  I certainly haven't made anything from interest or investing.  I'm just a poor little lemming...


Thank you for the replies.

Edited November 2, 2018 by ItchyKneeSon

[pushbrk 12,881]

You seem to understand as long as you realize that if your mother is "employed" it is her pay stub that is used to calculated her "current income" she is USING to qualify, NOT her 2017 tax return.  That tax return or return transcript is required information about the PAST, not "current" anything.

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

On 11/2/2018 at 4:10 PM, pushbrk said:

You seem to understand as long as you realize that if your mother is "employed" it is her pay stub that is used to calculated her "current income" she is USING to qualify, NOT her 2017 tax return.  That tax return or return transcript is required information about the PAST, not "current" anything.

Thank you for being clear on that.
She is employed by 2 companies currently and will use the income from her 2 jobs to calculate her current (ongoing) income.
She will be using her W-2 and 1099 forms to report her earnings for 2017.

[pushbrk 12,881]

On 11/5/2018 at 11:59 PM, ItchyKneeSon said:

Thank you for being clear on that.
She is employed by 2 companies currently and will use the income from her 2 jobs to calculate her current (ongoing) income.
She will be using her W-2 and 1099 forms to report her earnings for 2017.

Incorrect for 2017.  Use line 22 of the first page of the 1040 form.

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

21 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Incorrect for 2017.  Use line 22 of the first page of the 1040 form.

Is this the case even though she filed a joint return with my father (who will not be a joint sponsor) and earnings from real estate sales will be included in the total from line 22?
If so, will she also be required to include my father's W-2 and 1099 forms?

Regarding her current (ongoing) income, she will be including her pay stubs from both jobs for the last 6 months.  Will this suffice?

And about my taxes:
I have received my 2015-2017 tax transcripts from the IRS.  They all show that I made $0 because I earned and paid taxes in Japan.
Should my earnings be reported as $0 for the last 3 years (i-864 Part 6, items 24.a, b, c) -OR- should I list my actual earnings? 
(Note: I will not be including any kind of pay stubs/W-2/1099 forms for myself as I will be submitting the transcripts instead.)

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

1 hour ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

And about my taxes:
I have received my 2015-2017 tax transcripts from the IRS.  They all show that I made $0 because I earned and paid taxes in Japan.
Should my earnings be reported as $0 for the last 3 years (i-864 Part 6, items 24.a, b, c) -OR- should I list my actual earnings? 
(Note: I will not be including any kind of pay stubs/W-2/1099 forms for myself as I will be submitting the transcripts instead.)

I just re-read the instructions for this item.
According to the following quote, I will list my actual reported foreign income in USD in items 24.a, b, and c.:
"My total income (adjusted gross income on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040EZ) as reported on my Federal income tax returns for the most recent three years was:"
The transcripts for these years will not show any of this.

[Villanelle 4,122]

32 minutes ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

I just re-read the instructions for this item.
According to the following quote, I will list my actual reported foreign income in USD in items 24.a, b, and c.:
"My total income (adjusted gross income on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040EZ) as reported on my Federal income tax returns for the most recent three years was:"
The transcripts for these years will not show any of this.

You are not making any sense.

First you said you reported your income-

If you reported it then it will be on the transcript....

So how exactly did you report your foreign income? What line did you enter it on and which form did you use (probably used the 1040- could be on 7, 9 21)

 

[ItchyKneeSon 4]

4 hours ago, Damara said:

You are not making any sense.

First you said you reported your income-

If you reported it then it will be on the transcript....

So how exactly did you report your foreign income? What line did you enter it on and which form did you use (probably used the 1040- could be on 7, 9 21)

 

You can imagine my confusion upon receiving the transcripts all containing zeroes for my income... 
I have a reputable accountant take care of my taxes along with my parents' business accounts. 
After looking at my 1040s, my income in Japan was written on line 7.
Then, on line 21 a negative value of that exact number was written in, along with 'Foreign Income Form 2555-EZ' (or something to that effect).
Thus, adding lines 7 and 21 brings that total income to 0 for line 22.

I pay taxes in Japan.  
Under a given amount (something like $100k/yr.), foreign income just needs to be reported/filed as such.

Does this make more sense?
 

[suss6052 32]

49 minutes ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

You can imagine my confusion upon receiving the transcripts all containing zeroes for my income... 
I have a reputable accountant take care of my taxes along with my parents' business accounts. 
After looking at my 1040s, my income in Japan was written on line 7.
Then, on line 21 a negative value of that exact number was written in, along with 'Foreign Income Form 2555-EZ' (or something to that effect).
Thus, adding lines 7 and 21 brings that total income to 0 for line 22.

I pay taxes in Japan.  
Under a given amount (something like $100k/yr.), foreign income just needs to be reported/filed as such.

Does this make more sense?
 

Quote

You May Use This Form if You: • Are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien. • Earned wages/salaries in a foreign country. • Had total foreign earned income of $103,900 or less. See line 17. • Are filing a calendar year return that covers a 12-month period. And You: • Don’t have self-employment income. • Don’t have business/moving expenses. • Don’t claim the foreign housing exclusion or deduction.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2555ez.pdf

 

So your federal tax liability was zero, but your income will also not likely continue in the USA anyway and is thus irrelevant unless being used to qualify on assets, hence the need for a joint sponsor in your filing for your wife. 

[pushbrk 12,881]

15 hours ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

Is this the case even though she filed a joint return with my father (who will not be a joint sponsor) and earnings from real estate sales will be included in the total from line 22?
If so, will she also be required to include my father's W-2 and 1099 forms?

Regarding her current (ongoing) income, she will be including her pay stubs from both jobs for the last 6 months.  Will this suffice?

And about my taxes:
I have received my 2015-2017 tax transcripts from the IRS.  They all show that I made $0 because I earned and paid taxes in Japan.
Should my earnings be reported as $0 for the last 3 years (i-864 Part 6, items 24.a, b, c) -OR- should I list my actual earnings? 
(Note: I will not be including any kind of pay stubs/W-2/1099 forms for myself as I will be submitting the transcripts instead.)

Yes, it IS the case because this is "tax return" information.  It IS, what it IS.  When it comes to tax returns, you supply a tax return transcript OR a complete copy of tax return including W2 and 1099 forms associated with the return, not just one of the individuals.  If your father is still living and married to your mother, the best practice would be for him to provide an I-864a as her household member.

 

Most pay stubs show year to date income, so only the most current pay stub is needed from each job.

 

Your tax return section and current income are all zero.

[pushbrk 12,881]

9 hours ago, ItchyKneeSon said:

You can imagine my confusion upon receiving the transcripts all containing zeroes for my income... 
I have a reputable accountant take care of my taxes along with my parents' business accounts. 
After looking at my 1040s, my income in Japan was written on line 7.
Then, on line 21 a negative value of that exact number was written in, along with 'Foreign Income Form 2555-EZ' (or something to that effect).
Thus, adding lines 7 and 21 brings that total income to 0 for line 22.

I pay taxes in Japan.  
Under a given amount (something like $100k/yr.), foreign income just needs to be reported/filed as such.

Does this make more sense?
 

If you put any other number than zero in the tax section, you will be incorrectly completing the form.  It really is as simple as that.