Health insurance and ITIN

[martinataylor 0]

Hi,

 

We are in process with our application for my wife (Chilean) to become a US resident after we got married last year. Our forms (I-130, I-131, I-485, I-765) were accepted December 5th 2020 . 

I am starting a good job soon with excellent health insurance etc.

I have not spoken to the new employer as I have not received the official offer yet.

But I am wondering if I will be able to get health insurance for her.

I am thinking I should apply for an ITIN number for her.

I filed my taxes for 2020 as a single person.

I believe if I wanted to file a W7 for to apply for an ITIN number I would need to file an amended return.

 

Anybody have experience of this process?

 

Any reason not to file for an ITIN?

 

Could my wife file a tax return with zero income to apply for the ITIN?

 

Any idea how long the ITIN process takes?

 

Anybody have experience with getting decent resident health insurance without an SSN or ITIN???

 

Thanks Martin

 

[payxibka 10,045]

16 minutes ago, martinataylor said:

Hi,

 

We are in process with our application for my wife (Chilean) to become a US resident after we got married last year. Our forms (I-130, I-131, I-485, I-765) were accepted December 5th 2020 . 

I am starting a good job soon with excellent health insurance etc.

I have not spoken to the new employer as I have not received the official offer yet.

But I am wondering if I will be able to get health insurance for her.

I am thinking I should apply for an ITIN number for her.

I filed my taxes for 2020 as a single person.

I believe if I wanted to file a W7 for to apply for an ITIN number I would need to file an amended return.

 

Anybody have experience of this process?

 

Any reason not to file for an ITIN?

 

Could my wife file a tax return with zero income to apply for the ITIN?

 

Any idea how long the ITIN process takes?

 

Anybody have experience with getting decent resident health insurance without an SSN or ITIN???

 

Thanks Martin

 

Why did you file as a single person even though your marital status as of the end of the year was married?

[martinataylor 0]

Just now, payxibka said:

Why did you file as a single person even though your marital status as of the end of the year was married?

Hi,

 

Good question and I believe now that was an error on my part.

At the time I filed I did not think I could include her as she had no Social Security number.

and i had thought the ITIN process may muddy the waters and be unnecessary as she might soon have an SSN

I was in the mode of she mostly doesn't exist in the US officially

It is only in considering how to get her on health insurance I thought to look into the ITIN and I realize that is likely a legitimate and necessary step.

 

Martin

 

[JeanneAdil 6,514]

You were married in 2020 and can not file as single

MFJ or MFS or Head of Household (if yosincu qualifiy)

Just follow the IRS instructions for the ITIN (not hard) and since this is a 1040x to amend , no one can tell you how long it will take as i am sure IRS will concentrate on the new filers first 

i did the ITIN while my husband was still in Morocco and i now take classes to aid a tax attorney so he can send the letters out to clients to do the ITIN or EIN that live and/or work for foreign or US firms in the US

Have your wife fill out the W7 (or do a POA so you have her permission to do it / copy of the POA would also be sent in with 1040x and W7 ) with the supporting documents

 

not hard just some extra paperwork and must be paper filing as the supporting documents need to be mailed in/  if you try to do them from scanning IRS will send a letter saying they want to see originals

[martinataylor 0]

2 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

You were married in 2020 and can not file as single

MFJ or MFS or Head of Household (if yosincu qualifiy)

Just follow the IRS instructions for the ITIN (not hard) and since this is a 1040x to amend , no one can tell you how long it will take as i am sure IRS will concentrate on the new filers first 

i did the ITIN while my husband was still in Morocco and i now take classes to aid a tax attorney so he can send the letters out to clients to do the ITIN or EIN that live and/or work for foreign or US firms in the US

Have your wife fill out the W7 (or do a POA so you have her permission to do it / copy of the POA would also be sent in with 1040x and W7 ) with the supporting documents

 

not hard just some extra paperwork and must be paper filing as the supporting documents need to be mailed in/  if you try to do them from scanning IRS will send a letter saying they want to see originals

Thanks for the advice!

 

Martin

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by martinataylor

[JeanneAdil 6,514]

sorry forgot about health care which is usually offered after a probationary period (most jobs)

and then you can sign up for the company's offers and you must sign up the wife at this time or wait till renewal time comes up 

[martinataylor 0]

4 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

sorry forgot about health care which is usually offered after a probationary period (most jobs)

and then you can sign up for the company's offers and you must sign up the wife at this time or wait till renewal time comes up 

Do you have any experience of people being able to sign up for health care without an SSN or ITIN????

 

I know I get to ask my new employer that but wondering what to expect. 

 

Martin

 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, martinataylor said:

Do you have any experience of people being able to sign up for health care without an SSN or ITIN????

 

I know I get to ask my new employer that but wondering what to expect. 

 

Martin

 

I used a placeholder ssn 

[JKLSemicolon 414]

1 hour ago, martinataylor said:

Do you have any experience of people being able to sign up for health care without an SSN or ITIN????

 

I know I get to ask my new employer that but wondering what to expect. 

 

Martin

 

I was able to enroll my wife in my employer health insurance plan without a SSN or ITIN. I explained the situation to them and they just asked me to provide the number once I had it.

 

Note that I signed her up within 30 days of getting married (a "qualifying life event" that allowed us to make the change outside of the normal open enrollment period).

[martinataylor 0]

19 minutes ago, JKLSemicolon said:

I was able to enroll my wife in my employer health insurance plan without a SSN or ITIN. I explained the situation to them and they just asked me to provide the number once I had it.

 

Note that I signed her up within 30 days of getting married (a "qualifying life event" that allowed us to make the change outside of the normal open enrollment period).

Hi JKL,

 

That is nice to hear.

That would be ideal. 

 

Martin

 

 

[martinataylor 0]

56 minutes ago, payxibka said:

I used a placeholder ssn 

As in made on up?

 

Martin

 

[payxibka 10,045]

6 minutes ago, martinataylor said:

As in made on up?

 

Martin

 

I chose the word "placeholder,"  others includung yourself,  may choose to define it differently 

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Moving to the US and Your New Life In America forum.

[martinataylor 0]

9 minutes ago, payxibka said:

I chose the word "placeholder,"  others includung yourself,  may choose to define it differently 

got it

 

Martin

 

[Lemonslice 4,859]

SSN is not required.  Simply ask your employer to use other identifiers (birth date, all zeros, or whatever works in their system).