I-864a - How important are 'most recent three years' tax return numbers??

[peanutismint 37]

Filing an I-864a in addition to the the i-864 as my wife doesn't make enough money to sponsor me by herself. We have her dad's most recent tax return documents which show that he earned way above the threshold required to joint-sponsor me, but we can't easily procure the returns for the previous 3 years' that the form also asks for.

 

Are the 'most recent three years' as important as the most recent year, or will they only be required if we get an RFE? I think to get the past 3 years' tax return info we'd need to go through all the usual bureaucracy associated with the IRS and take even more time and we're really trying to expedite what will undoubtedly already be a lengthy process waiting for an EAD etc.... 

[K1visaHopeful 2,872]

1 minute ago, peanutismint said:

Filing an I-864a in addition to the the i-864 as my wife doesn't make enough money to sponsor me by herself. We have her dad's most recent tax return documents which show that he earned way above the threshold required to joint-sponsor me, but we can't easily procure the returns for the previous 3 years' that the form also asks for.

 

Are the 'most recent three years' as important as the most recent year, or will they only be required if we get an RFE? I think to get the past 3 years' tax return info we'd need to go through all the usual bureaucracy associated with the IRS and take even more time and we're really trying to expedite what will undoubtedly already be a lengthy process waiting for an EAD etc.... 

Read page 5 Questions 23 through 25 of the actual I864 carefully. 

Only the most recent year's actual tax forms are required. Three years tax forms are optional. You WILL need to know what the income was for the most recent three years and input that in Question 24 but you dont need to submit those forms.

Do you not have access to the previous returns? Have you tried ordering transcripts? 

[peanutismint 37]

Thanks; yes I'm aware that only the most recent year's FORMS are required, we have those. It's the previous year's returns info (like ANY of the numbers) that we don't have to hand. We could order transcripts but I can only assume this will take a while and we want to get moving on this ASAP as every day I can't work here we're kinda bleeding out. 

[Lemonslice 4,959]

You can get transcripts in person also, should you need them later. 

[K1visaHopeful 2,872]

Just now, peanutismint said:

Thanks; yes I'm aware that only the most recent year's FORMS are required, we have those. It's the previous year's returns info (like ANY of the numbers) that we don't have to hand. We could order transcripts but I can only assume this will take a while and we want to get moving on this ASAP as every day I can't work here we're kinda bleeding out. 

Wont take long. 

You can download them instantly here if you login. 

Or you can request them to be sent to you by mail which takes maybe a week.

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

 

Or you can make an appointment at an IRS office. 

You need those numbers. You cannot be a sponsor of you havent filed taxes within the three most previous if you were required to file taxes. Leaving those questions blank will get you an RFE for sure and will delay the EAD and AP to until your RFE is satisfied.

[Lemonslice 4,959]

Hindsight is 20/20, but you had months to order these while waiting on your visa. 

[peanutismint 37]

Thanks all; will get them to try the online. Only issue is, her parents are older and not hugely web-savvy or likely to have an online account set up; will probs need tonnes of ID verification etc... but I guess if we need it then we need it. 

[K1visaHopeful 2,872]

1 minute ago, peanutismint said:

Thanks all; will get them to try the online. Only issue is, her parents are older and not hugely web-savvy or likely to have an online account set up; will probs need tonnes of ID verification etc... but I guess if we need it then we need it. 

If you do the "mail" option you only need SSNs, full names, DOBs and the address listed on the most recent tax return.

Click on the link i posted though. It will tell you what you need for each option.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, peanutismint said:

Thanks; yes I'm aware that only the most recent year's FORMS are required, we have those. It's the previous year's returns info (like ANY of the numbers) that we don't have to hand. We could order transcripts but I can only assume this will take a while and we want to get moving on this ASAP as every day I can't work here we're kinda bleeding out. 

My wife has done transcripts by mailing the form, online print your own, by faxing the form to receive by mail, and even calling  and the lady faxed them to her immediately (because we have a fax machine which they probably don't.)  Our mail ones have always arrived in days.