HELP ON FILING MARRIED BUT SEPERATE TAXES

[bailey28 0]

Hey all it's been a long time, i have been trying to log on fr last year and the site has been giving me a hard time but finally i am here .. and way i wanna ask can i file married but sperate on my taxes cause last year my husband screwed eveything up and we had 2 get them amended and now we owe them, will it be a big issue when i file 2 lift condition?????

worried wife

[Sofargone 2]

If you filed a joint return last year then you are also on the hook for whatever amount is owed. Yes you can file seperate but it is kinda pointless and if the amount is not to staggering maybe this years refund will pay it off so you all dont have to worry about it anymore. If you keep putting it off and try to find ways around the system you are really only gonna pay more in the end.

Most people that I have run across that have to amend there returns must do so because they get in such a big hurry and file before they have all their forms in the might quest for a refund check. I dunno if that is your case but you may wanna wait next time until all the proper paperwork is ready the first time.

I doubt a tax problem would stop a I-751 petition as I am sure you arent the only one here with that problem.

Good luck;

Sofargone

[The Robinsons 0]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

[bailey28 0]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

i don't care about paying what we own, i just wanna know if it's matter if we filed married but sperate last time we file jointly

[The Robinsons 0]

It doesn't matter that you filed seperately if you otherwise have plenty of evidence of a bona fide marriage. However a joint return will help to prove a bona fide marriage when you file for removal. But again, no it wouldn't matter.

As a note.....last year (the first year I had to file here) we both filed married but seperately. But this year we filed jointly.

[diadromous mermaid 36]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

i don't care about paying what we own, i just wanna know if it's matter if we filed married but sperate last time we file jointly

Many people file separately, if it suits their economic circumstances, of course, they might not be trying to show immigration that theirs is a bonafide marriage, However, if you can demonstrate (if asked) that it was for financial reasons that you chose to file as married but separate, then there should be no issue.

[mawilson 2,133]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

I've never heard that. I'm pretty sure you can file separately or jointly regardless of what you did last year.

[ianletz 0]

For immigration purposes, it's better to file jointly. I know of an interview case where the interviewer demanded explanation as for the reasons why they had filed separately. It's not a big deal. But "filing jointly" is a good piece of evidence of bona fide marriage. If you're not doing so, be prepared to explain why you did it separately. On the other hand, however, you don't have to worry about how you file your taxes if you have plenty of evidence of your relationship.

[americanfarmer 0]

Married taxpayers can choose between filing a joint tax return or a separate tax return. The Married Filing Jointly filing status provides more tax benefits than filing separate returns, but you will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide for yourself which is the best filing status. Recommend using TurboTax as an easy way to prepare taxes error free.

Joint tax returns are just one type of a financial record showing joint financial responsibility. Remember you're providing evidence of a married relationship. So joint bank accounts, joint credit cards, joint utility bills, joint leases, etc are additional documents that demonstrate your both financially together in the marriage.

Good luck!

[smartie 0]

We filed separately first two years too. It sounds right now that we will go for interview and I am thinking that is the reason. I also didn't take me husbands last name as I have scientific publications. It should not be a problem but gives reason for interview. My 2 cents.

good luck

[mamata 1]

We filed separately first two years too. It sounds right now that we will go for interview and I am thinking that is the reason. I also didn't take me husbands last name as I have scientific publications. It should not be a problem but gives reason for interview. My 2 cents.

good luck

I also fall into Tax problem crew.

My hubby own a small store which facing a financial problem at the moment. Our first year (year 2005), we filed jointly. Year 2006 we filed separately ( my hubby needs more time to come up with that amount). His tax of year 2006 has been pending since then.

My Green card will be expired by this July that means I have to remove my condition by this April. The big problem is we have to come up with a big amount to pay off his tax of year 2006 and 2007.

My plan is

I will apply a personal loan ( I will try to add my hubby name into the loan if possible) and use this money to pay off his tax from year 2006. For year 2007, I plan to file jointly( but may need more money to pay his tax)

do you think they will call us for interview? thx.

[The Robinsons 0]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

I've never heard that. I'm pretty sure you can file separately or jointly regardless of what you did last year.

Oh well I wouldn'e surprised that the IRS guys we spoke to knows as little about his job as USCIS employees do about theirs. He just told us that if you file joint one year then the next you have to fill out extra forms and stuff in order to be able to file separately.

[lucyrich 19]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

I've never heard that. I'm pretty sure you can file separately or jointly regardless of what you did last year.

You're correct. You can change your choice each year. Many people who file married filing separately are couples who are in the process of breaking up, and have separated their finances, but haven't completed the legal paperwork to actually divorce. Typically, they will have filed joint returns in prior years.

What The Robinsons are probably referring to is that, once you've filed separate returns for a given year, you can file an amended return to switch to a joint return. But once you've filed a joint return for a given year, you can't amend your return to switch to separate returns for that year.

In other words, if you had already filed your 2006 taxes as "married filing jointly", you can't submit a 1040x to change your 2006 filing status to "married filing separately". But you're free to file your 2007 taxes as "married filing separately", if you choose.

That info is on page 6 of IRS Publication 501

Edited February 11, 2008 by lucyrich

[bailey28 0]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

I've never heard that. I'm pretty sure you can file separately or jointly regardless of what you did last year.

You're correct. You can change your choice each year. Many people who file married filing separately are couples who are in the process of breaking up, and have separated their finances, but haven't completed the legal paperwork to actually divorce. Typically, they will have filed joint returns in prior years.

What The Robinsons are probably referring to is that, once you've filed separate returns for a given year, you can file an amended return to switch to a joint return. But once you've filed a joint return for a given year, you can't amend your return to switch to separate returns for that year.

In other words, if you had already filed your 2006 taxes as "married filing jointly", you can't submit a 1040x to change your 2006 filing status to "married filing separately". But you're free to file your 2007 taxes as "married filing separately", if you choose.

That info is on page 6 of IRS Publication 501

well we have filed married filing separately cause i want the money for health reason and he is gonna take his part 2 pay back the irs...u kn there is nothing as a perfect marrage and these ppl want us 2 show them we have prefect lives they ask us for so much stuff when in thruth no one life is perfect, most couples dont have joint things cause the other is no good with money, we all dont go around taking pic @ xmas nor do we know every single detail about each other some times i wonder why they give us a hard time

[rocky 0]

It all depends on how you filed last year. If for 2006 you filed seperately then you can either do the same this time or file jointly, the choice is yours. But if you filed jointly last time then you have to do the same this time.

I've never heard that. I'm pretty sure you can file separately or jointly regardless of what you did last year.

You're correct. You can change your choice each year. Many people who file married filing separately are couples who are in the process of breaking up, and have separated their finances, but haven't completed the legal paperwork to actually divorce. Typically, they will have filed joint returns in prior years.

What The Robinsons are probably referring to is that, once you've filed separate returns for a given year, you can file an amended return to switch to a joint return. But once you've filed a joint return for a given year, you can't amend your return to switch to separate returns for that year.

In other words, if you had already filed your 2006 taxes as "married filing jointly", you can't submit a 1040x to change your 2006 filing status to "married filing separately". But you're free to file your 2007 taxes as "married filing separately", if you choose.

That info is on page 6 of IRS Publication 501

well we have filed married filing separately cause i want the money for health reason and he is gonna take his part 2 pay back the irs...u kn there is nothing as a perfect marrage and these ppl want us 2 show them we have prefect lives they ask us for so much stuff when in thruth no one life is perfect, most couples dont have joint things cause the other is no good with money, we all dont go around taking pic @ xmas nor do we know every single detail about each other some times i wonder why they give us a hard time

We always filed jointly since 2005 til today for year 2007 tax return It matters,we have district library w/ CPA's here in gainesville,fl offers free filing for tax return but had certain date only to help the community. They said always follow what's good for our application bec. this is the reason why we keep going on to submit anything for bonafide marriage evidence to get the 10 yrs greencard and soon for citizenship. More patience God is willing we'll be done on this processing!

Edited February 12, 2008 by rocky