Filing Taxes Assistance

[Swafford25 20]

Hello everyone,

 

I am looking for any assistance that can be provided in helping me fill out my taxes for me and my wife who currently lives in the Philippines. We were married in April of 2022 and currently waiting on our I-130 application. 

From my own research, the best course seems to file jointly, but that requires my wife to have a ITIN. If I file separately it seems I have to file a paper return and put NRA in the SSN line. 

 

If anyone has been through this process, any help or advice would greatly be appreciated.

[IWander 589]

2 hours ago, Swafford25 said:

Hello everyone,

 

I am looking for any assistance that can be provided in helping me fill out my taxes for me and my wife who currently lives in the Philippines. We were married in April of 2022 and currently waiting on our I-130 application. 

From my own research, the best course seems to file jointly, but that requires my wife to have a ITIN. If I file separately it seems I have to file a paper return and put NRA in the SSN line. 

 

If anyone has been through this process, any help or advice would greatly be appreciated.

It seems like you have a good grasp of what your options are.  Not sure what other advice you are looking for 

[RO_AH 1,659]

2 hours ago, Swafford25 said:

Hello everyone,

 

I am looking for any assistance that can be provided in helping me fill out my taxes for me and my wife who currently lives in the Philippines. We were married in April of 2022 and currently waiting on our I-130 application. 

From my own research, the best course seems to file jointly, but that requires my wife to have a ITIN. If I file separately it seems I have to file a paper return and put NRA in the SSN line. 

 

If anyone has been through this process, any help or advice would greatly be appreciated.

Been thee done that. Yes jointly is the way to do it. Here will be your hurdles:

1. You need to mail in your returns, you cannot e-file (just the first time).

2. You will need her passport, not a copy. Getting it can be difficult. I had my friend who was visiting close by my wife's city, meet up with her and get her passport. When her returned to USA he mailed it to me.

3. Passport name must match the name on the returns. So if you are married and she has your last name now her passport must reflect that. If not, file with what is on the passport. I sent passport with maiden name along with marriage certificate. That didn't fly.

4. After she arrives here and gets a ssc, you must send the IRS a letter stating that she will no longer use the ITIN and will start using  her ssn. I tried filing with her SSN and it was rejected, I had to send the taxes with her ITIN and then send a letter so I could start using the SSN on the next year. I have the address to send to along with a sample letter if you dm me.

[IWander 589]

49 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

Been thee done that. Yes jointly is the way to do it. Here will be your hurdles:

1. You need to mail in your returns, you cannot e-file (just the first time).

2. You will need her passport, not a copy. Getting it can be difficult. I had my friend who was visiting close by my wife's city, meet up with her and get her passport. When her returned to USA he mailed it to me.

3. Passport name must match the name on the returns. So if you are married and she has your last name now her passport must reflect that. If not, file with what is on the passport. I sent passport with maiden name along with marriage certificate. That didn't fly.

4. After she arrives here and gets a ssc, you must send the IRS a letter stating that she will no longer use the ITIN and will start using  her ssn. I tried filing with her SSN and it was rejected, I had to send the taxes with her ITIN and then send a letter so I could start using the SSN on the next year. I have the address to send to along with a sample letter if you dm me.

Has anyone tried to use the Acceptance Agent in Angeles City to help with an ITIN while abroad?  I have not heard a success story and wonder why they exist if no one can use them 

[RO_AH 1,659]

22 minutes ago, IWander said:

Has anyone tried to use the Acceptance Agent in Angeles City to help with an ITIN while abroad?  I have not heard a success story and wonder why they exist if no one can use them 

I was looking into it and couldn't find any solid information on it so I went the route I described above.

[Grace29 37]

9 hours ago, RO_AH said:

Been thee done that. Yes jointly is the way to do it. Here will be your hurdles:

1. You need to mail in your returns, you cannot e-file (just the first time).

2. You will need her passport, not a copy. Getting it can be difficult. I had my friend who was visiting close by my wife's city, meet up with her and get her passport. When her returned to USA he mailed it to me.

3. Passport name must match the name on the returns. So if you are married and she has your last name now her passport must reflect that. If not, file with what is on the passport. I sent passport with maiden name along with marriage certificate. That didn't fly.

4. After she arrives here and gets a ssc, you must send the IRS a letter stating that she will no longer use the ITIN and will start using  her ssn. I tried filing with her SSN and it was rejected, I had to send the taxes with her ITIN and then send a letter so I could start using the SSN on the next year. I have the address to send to along with a sample letter if you dm me.

For #4 - I never sent a letter and used her SS# the next year without issue. Maybe I just got lucky.

[Grace29 37]

9 hours ago, RO_AH said:

Been thee done that. Yes jointly is the way to do it. Here will be your hurdles:

1. You need to mail in your returns, you cannot e-file (just the first time).

2. You will need her passport, not a copy. Getting it can be difficult. I had my friend who was visiting close by my wife's city, meet up with her and get her passport. When her returned to USA he mailed it to me.

3. Passport name must match the name on the returns. So if you are married and she has your last name now her passport must reflect that. If not, file with what is on the passport. I sent passport with maiden name along with marriage certificate. That didn't fly.

4. After she arrives here and gets a ssc, you must send the IRS a letter stating that she will no longer use the ITIN and will start using  her ssn. I tried filing with her SSN and it was rejected, I had to send the taxes with her ITIN and then send a letter so I could start using the SSN on the next year. I have the address to send to along with a sample letter if you dm me.

Also for #2 we used an online service where they verified her passport through a Zoom call. This worked without her needing to send her passport anywhere.

[RO_AH 1,659]

2 hours ago, Grace29 said:

For #4 - I never sent a letter and used her SS# the next year without issue. Maybe I just got lucky.

Wow yes, I guess you were. I filed and it got rejected.

2 hours ago, Grace29 said:

Also for #2 we used an online service where they verified her passport through a Zoom call. This worked without her needing to send her passport anywhere.

I wish I had known about this.

[top_secret 2,414]

My wife went down to the local DFA office and got a certified true copy of her passport.  It think it cost us 80 Pesos.  That worked great for us.  We just mailed it in with the return and letter electing for her to be treated as resident for tax purposes. ITIN was issued.  I wouldn't send the real passport in since it can disappear into a black hole for months.

[top_secret 2,414]

The process for getting a certified true copy of a Philippine Passport from DFA like we used is here.  It was 100 Pesos.

https://dfa-oca.ph/passport/passport-requirements/passport-certification-process-and-requirements/

[Steve & Erma 36]

So I am going the ITIN route but I am here in the states. The agent that is authorized is at a local H&R Block, there is an agent in the Philippine and I linked it below. My wife's passport is currently expired and we are waiting on our ROM that just finally got transmitted by the DFA because of the Utah marriage issue, we used her Bureau of Internal Revenue ID Card which is their version of a SSN card. The agent told me that it is hit or miss with the IRS whether they will issue an ITIN or not. Here's hoping it all works when I file.

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/acceptance-agents-philippines

Edited January 17, 2023 by Steve & Erma

[Swafford25 20]

Thank you all for the advice!

[Stein 276]

Probably too late on this if you have already filed but in case someone reads this thread later, when I was still living in Vietnam with my wife I just filed single then when we got to the US and she got her SSN I filed an ammended return as married-joint and got a big refund.  It's way easier but will cost you some money temporarily but you get it back after the ammended filing.

[Talako 781]

6 hours ago, Stein said:

Probably too late on this if you have already filed but in case someone reads this thread later, when I was still living in Vietnam with my wife I just filed single then when we got to the US and she got her SSN I filed an ammended return as married-joint and got a big refund.  It's way easier but will cost you some money temporarily but you get it back after the ammended filing.

Forget what I just typed.  It is more complicated than that.

Edited February 4, 2023 by Talako
I'm not very smart.

[spicynujac 23]

On 1/16/2023 at 9:08 AM, Grace29 said:

Also for #2 we used an online service where they verified her passport through a Zoom call. This worked without her needing to send her passport anywhere.

What online service did you use to verify passport online so you can file a W-7 with US IRS?