i-864 Affidavit of Support Joint Sponsor Filing Joint Total Income

[scienceworks 64]

Here is my situation. (Why govt forms are not straight forwards?)

I am using a co-sponsor (my Brother in law). In the new i-864, in page 6, it asks for the total income for the last three years ( to be taken from the 1040). However, my sister is also employed ( to avoid more paper work, I am avoiding adding her income). The total income in their joint Tax return will be higher than my brother in laws income alone (taken from w-2). So what exactly should I put in i-864: just his income from his w-2 or their total joint income as shown in tax return 1040.

[Reds988 9]

From what I understand if your brother in law filed joint tax return with your sister she has to do I-864A along with his I-864 bcuz she will be counted as part of his household. So you must use total income from 1040 as per instructions on form..Trying to do short cuts and avoiding extra paperwork will only get you in trouble so do it right the 1st time. Research some more to make sure you will do these forms correctly..hope someone else will chime in if I am incorrect in what I said.

[scienceworks 64]

From what I understand if your brother in law filed joint tax return with your sister she has to do I-864A along with his I-864 bcuz she will be counted as part of his household. So you must use total income from 1040 as per instructions on form..Trying to do short cuts and avoiding extra paperwork will only get you in trouble so do it right the 1st time. Research some more to make sure you will do these forms correctly..hope someone else will chime in if I am incorrect in what I said.

Thanks. Yeah, true about short cuts. I am still recovering from compiling a humungous i-130.

[NikLR 13,231]

The only way to just use your brother in law is to send in his entire tax return and all accompanying schedules and documents vs a tax transcript. So if less paperwork is your goal, have your sister sign a completed I-864A that will accompany your BIL's I-864 and use tax transcripts which are one sheet of paper, double sided.

[scienceworks 64]

ok. I am getting the idea that my plan to reduce paper work is not the appropriate method of doing.

If I scrap that plan and use both of them ( BIL be the sponsor and Sis fill i-864A), then what would be the total income in both forms? The instructions tell me to use the total income from 1040. So I assume they put their total income in Part 6 of his i-864 and the same amount in her i-864A ( item 11) and then attach tax return transcripts ( not their own copy) and their individual w-2's to distinguish who makes what?

[pushbrk 13,043]

ok. I am getting the idea that my plan to reduce paper work is not the appropriate method of doing.

If I scrap that plan and use both of them ( BIL be the sponsor and Sis fill i-864A), then what would be the total income in both forms? The instructions tell me to use the total income from 1040. So I assume they put their total income in Part 6 of his i-864 and the same amount in her i-864A ( item 11) and then attach tax return transcripts ( not their own copy) and their individual w-2's to distinguish who makes what?

Yes, the past tax information will be the same for both of them. Adding the W2's or just using complete tax returns that would include the W2's anyway, is the best plan.

[CanGirl 95]

No one has answered the initial question. What is the correct amount to put on the form? The amount from the W2 to show separate income or the total amount from the joint tax return 1040 form?

[pushbrk 13,043]

If you mean the current income question, put the individual's current income. It does not come from any W2 or other tax form. Take it from documentation of current income. For example, if their two-week pay stub has gross earnings of 1,000 then their annual is 26,000. People paid every two weeks get paid 26 times a year. Paid monthly, 12 times. Paid twice a month, paid 24 times.

Information asked about tax returns is about the past. Current income is what one will make during the NEXT 12 months if they keep the same job and pay.