tax questions

[mrmvkjts 459]

As we‘re doing taxes, my father in law and I are having an argument!

 

Little back story, My US-Citizen husband and I lived in my homecountry from November 2016-November 2018

We both worked there and are now about to do our taxes jointly!

My question now is: Do I have to include my(Non-US Citizen)foreign earned income? Money that I earned BEFORE immigrating to the US in November 2018?

 

Thanks in Advance 

[mniceguy16 186]

4 minutes ago, mrmvkjts said:

As we‘re doing taxes, my father in law and I are having an argument!

 

Little back story, My US-Citizen husband and I lived in my homecountry from November 2016-November 2018

We both worked there and are now about to do our taxes jointly!

My question now is: Do I have to include my(Non-US Citizen)foreign earned income? Money that I earned BEFORE immigrating to the US in November 2018?

 

Thanks in Advance 

NO

 

You can't put income earned before immigrating to the U.S because you are not a US citizen so ONLY income earned while being an immigrant and while working and earning it in the States.

[Tybeau2 7]

If your filing as Married filing jointly, then yes, you need to include it.  However, the income you earned in a foreign country may be excluded (but still reported).    I would see a Tax Accountant familiar with these kinds of situations and they can help.   My wife is not here yet but in order for me to file a Married filing jointly we had to report her income earned in her country.

[junkmart 320]

On 4/1/2019 at 9:04 PM, mniceguy16 said:

NO

 

You can't put income earned before immigrating to the U.S because you are not a US citizen so ONLY income earned while being an immigrant and while working and earning it in the States.

This is completely wrong. If filing a joint tax return, you must include worldwide income, even if the immigrant is working and residing in a foreign country.

Edited April 4, 2019 by junkmart

[junkmart 320]

On 4/1/2019 at 9:48 PM, Tybeau2 said:

If your filing as Married filing jointly, then yes, you need to include it.  However, the income you earned in a foreign country may be excluded (but still reported).    I would see a Tax Accountant familiar with these kinds of situations and they can help.   My wife is not here yet but in order for me to file a Married filing jointly we had to report her income earned in her country.

 

On 4/1/2019 at 8:58 PM, mrmvkjts said:

As we‘re doing taxes, my father in law and I are having an argument!

 

Little back story, My US-Citizen husband and I lived in my homecountry from November 2016-November 2018

We both worked there and are now about to do our taxes jointly!

My question now is: Do I have to include my(Non-US Citizen)foreign earned income? Money that I earned BEFORE immigrating to the US in November 2018?

 

Thanks in Advance 

Yes, if you are filing a joint return then you must include worldwide income. You may be able to exclude all or a portion of it from being taxed in the US with form 2555 , or you may be able to get a credit for foreign taxes already paid on foreign income with form 1116.