How to list income for married filing jointly joint sponsor(s) on I-864

[Cleetus Parkway 1]

Hi all,

 

I've seen a lot of people ask about how declare income for a joint sponsor when the sponsor's spouse doesn't want to be included. In my case, the spouse is happy to be included. Is it necessary then to separate their income (on I-864 part 6 questions 7 and 10)? They both get income from a number of different sources, none of them providing W2s (they're retired), and I'd rather not have to gather all the documentation. The tax transcript shows their combined income, and that's the number I want to provide. Would it be acceptible, then, to write their combined income on question 7 and then $0.00 on question 10? Thanks in advance.

[pushbrk 12,882]

2 hours ago, Cleetus Parkway said:

Hi all,

 

I've seen a lot of people ask about how declare income for a joint sponsor when the sponsor's spouse doesn't want to be included. In my case, the spouse is happy to be included. Is it necessary then to separate their income (on I-864 part 6 questions 7 and 10)? They both get income from a number of different sources, none of them providing W2s (they're retired), and I'd rather not have to gather all the documentation. The tax transcript shows their combined income, and that's the number I want to provide. Would it be acceptible, then, to write their combined income on question 7 and then $0.00 on question 10? Thanks in advance.

If they each have income, then in the current income section, use their pay stubs to calculate current income.  Formula is gross X number of pay periods in a full year.  1k a week is 52k a year.  Enter properly and the form will total it.  Tax return numbers are the same on both forms.  

Just to clarify, there is no way to hide one spouse's income, and for Consular Processing, trying to do without the joint sponsor's spouse's I-864a is likely to delay your process.  Best practice to include it.  Follow the excellent instructions for doing so.

[Cleetus Parkway 1]

Hi pushbrk, thanks for taking the time to respond. I must not have made myself clear when I first asked my question, so let me try again.

 

My retired parents will act as joint sponsors. My father will sign an I-864 and my mother an I-864a. I am trying to prepare the documents for them to sign, in order to save them the trouble. There is no question of hiding my mother's income or her not signing an i-864a. My question is, is it really necessary for me to list their income separately in part 6 questions 7 and 10 of the I-864? Their tax transcript, which is the clearest statement of their various sources of income, lists their income jointly, and it's going to take a lot of work for me to determine whose income is whose. They are not working so it's not so simple as just referring to their W-2s. And in the end, they are both agreeing to make their income available.

 

Thanks for the help.

[nastra30 2,284]

13 hours ago, Cleetus Parkway said:

Hi pushbrk, thanks for taking the time to respond. I must not have made myself clear when I first asked my question, so let me try again.

 

My retired parents will act as joint sponsors. My father will sign an I-864 and my mother an I-864a. I am trying to prepare the documents for them to sign, in order to save them the trouble. There is no question of hiding my mother's income or her not signing an i-864a. My question is, is it really necessary for me to list their income separately in part 6 questions 7 and 10 of the I-864? Their tax transcript, which is the clearest statement of their various sources of income, lists their income jointly, and it's going to take a lot of work for me to determine whose income is whose. They are not working so it's not so simple as just referring to their W-2s. And in the end, they are both agreeing to make their income available.

 

Thanks for the help.

I understand they are not working. But how do they currently earn income? Current income is really key here; not past income stated on tax transcript.

Edited November 24, 2023 by nastra30

[pushbrk 12,882]

17 hours ago, Cleetus Parkway said:

Hi pushbrk, thanks for taking the time to respond. I must not have made myself clear when I first asked my question, so let me try again.

 

My retired parents will act as joint sponsors. My father will sign an I-864 and my mother an I-864a. I am trying to prepare the documents for them to sign, in order to save them the trouble. There is no question of hiding my mother's income or her not signing an i-864a. My question is, is it really necessary for me to list their income separately in part 6 questions 7 and 10 of the I-864? Their tax transcript, which is the clearest statement of their various sources of income, lists their income jointly, and it's going to take a lot of work for me to determine whose income is whose. They are not working so it's not so simple as just referring to their W-2s. And in the end, they are both agreeing to make their income available.

 

Thanks for the help.

It's not an issue of making both incomes available.  It's a contract signed by both.  W2's and tax returns are not evidence of current income for working people, but since your parents are NOT working, and you have not stated the sources of their income, we really can't help you separate it without more details.  For example if 100% of their income is "joint" from one jointly owned Annuity, then you just spit in in half. I doubt it's that simple.  Take the original 1099s or other income documentation and add up which income is for each one.  If there is joint income, put half in each column.  Then supply copies of those documents as backup.

 

[Cleetus Parkway 1]

4 hours ago, pushbrk said:

It's not an issue of making both incomes available.  It's a contract signed by both.  W2's and tax returns are not evidence of current income for working people, but since your parents are NOT working, and you have not stated the sources of their income, we really can't help you separate it without more details.  For example if 100% of their income is "joint" from one jointly owned Annuity, then you just spit in in half. I doubt it's that simple.  Take the original 1099s or other income documentation and add up which income is for each one.  If there is joint income, put half in each column.  Then supply copies of those documents as backup.

 

Thanks for the reply. Their income consists mainly in retirement benefits and income from investments, some of which are owned jointly. I will sort what I can and if anything is joint, then I will split it down the middle. I have documentation for all of it.

 

Thanks again.