125% Poverty Line

[JoBri 548]

Based on my hourly pay for a period of one year, my income falls about $250 short of the 125 % for me and my wife. But with all the overtime I work, it is about $10,000 over the 125% for 2. Do they determine the income on what your base pay is, or do they look at the amount of overtime factored in too? Anything that tells the answer to this for sure?

Thanks

Brian in Tennessee

[Dakine 26]

Based on my hourly pay for a period of one year, my income falls about $250 short of the 125 % for me and my wife. But with all the overtime I work, it is about $10,000 over the 125% for 2. Do they determine the income on what your base pay is, or do they look at the amount of overtime factored in too? Anything that tells the answer to this for sure?

Thanks

Brian in Tennessee

Gross income!

[SunDrop 59]

You provide your most recent tax returns with the affidavit of support. If you are over the 125% of gross income declared, then you're fine.

[msnoob 3]

It's your gross income on your tax return. You do have to submit an employment letter that states your pay. I'd recommend that you get your employer to include your hourly wages as well a statement about overtime; basically indicating that it is expected to continue.

If at all possible, you may want to talk to someone who could act as your co-sponsor if the need arises. Just to have that option available.

Best of Luck!

[himher 634]

At our embassy review they did ask for and check current pay stubs. I'd plan to work some overtime the last couple months before the interview if that's possible. Tax returns + current income is what they looked at for us.

Based on my hourly pay for a period of one year, my income falls about $250 short of the 125 % for me and my wife. But with all the overtime I work, it is about $10,000 over the 125% for 2. Do they determine the income on what your base pay is, or do they look at the amount of overtime factored in too? Anything that tells the answer to this for sure?

Thanks

Brian in Tennessee

[pushbrk 12,886]

It's your gross income on your tax return. You do have to submit an employment letter that states your pay. I'd recommend that you get your employer to include your hourly wages as well a statement about overtime; basically indicating that it is expected to continue.

If at all possible, you may want to talk to someone who could act as your co-sponsor if the need arises. Just to have that option available.

Best of Luck!

Gross income, yes but an employer letter is optional. Hourly employees sometimes have a hard time getting a letter that reflects more than their base hourly rate. In this case that may hurt rather than help, so I'd use year to date pay stubs to suppliment three years of tax transcripts, then declare you current income as equal to last year's gross before taxes.

[rebeccajo 14]

I'd suggest you research what your consulate expects to see in terms of income. Expectations vary widely.

[Old Dominion 26]

What counts is sufficient predictable income. In this economy, overtime pay is going to become more and more unpredictable. So, just provide this year's pay stubs and three years of tax records and let them speak for themselves. Also, a signed letter from a bank official that states your total deposits for the preceding 12 months and your current balance. An employer would have a hard time signing a letter that forecasts overtime pay into the future.

[pushbrk 12,886]

What counts is sufficient predictable income. In this economy, overtime pay is going to become more and more unpredictable. So, just provide this year's pay stubs and three years of tax records and let them speak for themselves. Also, a signed letter from a bank official that states your total deposits for the preceding 12 months and your current balance. An employer would have a hard time signing a letter that forecasts overtime pay into the future.

I'd only use the bank letter if it would clearly help the case. Unfortunately though the I-134 requires the sponsor to complete a statement to the effect of "I currently derive an annual income of $X." In my mind, the safe bet is to use the gross number from the most recent tax return and then let the supporting documentation speak for itself, at least for this case.

[JoBri 548]

Well, my employer pays hourly wages, and where I work they deduct half an hour from our day for lunch, so in the end I have only 37.5 hours a week. My boss, the Director of Nursing, will write the letter from what I prepare for her. In that letter she will show for an 8 hour day rather than 7.5. In that case, I will have base income above the minimum of 17500. And she will also reflect that the overtime for me, which is in health care, will continue, with even a more urgent need as time goes on. At any rate, My gross income is way over the minimum, and I have pay stubs going back a full year to show the overtime is continuous, day after day after day after day.

What counts is sufficient predictable income. In this economy, overtime pay is going to become more and more unpredictable. So, just provide this year's pay stubs and three years of tax records and let them speak for themselves. Also, a signed letter from a bank official that states your total deposits for the preceding 12 months and your current balance. An employer would have a hard time signing a letter that forecasts overtime pay into the future.

I'd only use the bank letter if it would clearly help the case. Unfortunately though the I-134 requires the sponsor to complete a statement to the effect of "I currently derive an annual income of $X." In my mind, the safe bet is to use the gross number from the most recent tax return and then let the supporting documentation speak for itself, at least for this case.