Joint Sponsor Questions

[CB82 0]

My husband and I had our interview yesterday and were told that we need a joint sponsor. My husbands income meets the poverty guideline but because he is self employed and his income is on his business tax return and not his personal tax return it cannot be used. We were told that our I-485 will be approved as soon as we give them the joint sponsor info. So the search is on for a co-sponsor. We are going to be asking my husbands aunt but I want to check something with you guys first about her situation.

She is married but has been separated from her husband for over 4 years now and they live in different states. So we are assuming she will have filed her taxes "married but filing separately", so we should only need her tax info if she's the only one on her return. Right?

Household Size - She currently lives with her boyfriend. When she fills out the household size does she only count herself and me (the intending immigrant) as she isn't financially supporting her boyfriend. So it would just be 2 and she would need to have earned at least $17,500?

She changed jobs 3 months ago to one that is better money and hours. So we have to ask her for a letter from her current employer that states how long shes worked there, job position, wages and number of hours a week she works? Since she changed jobs would the last 3 months of pay stubs from her current job be ok or does she need to give the last 3 months paystubs from her old job too?

Also, what happens if she doesn't keep her paystubs? Will her 2007 tax return, W2 and letter from employer be enough?

Our interviewer highlighted the parts on the RFE that we need to give her and those were:

Form I-864

Current employment letter

Tax Returns with W2's for the most recent tax year

She mentioned a years worth of pay stubs if the person hasn't filed 2007 taxes yet, in which we also show the extension letter, 2006 tax return with W2.

Any help would be appreciated guys. We want to make sure we have all the right information before we ask his aunt or anyone else.

Edited April 18, 2008 by CB82

[zqt3344 21]

Request the past 3 years of IRS tax transcripts of your husband to take to USCIS, if he has enough income to meet poverty guidelines then those will work fine, they are official IRS record and are accepted by USCIS. Also he might take 1099s he had from previous years when submitting prior income tax returns. If not those IRS tax transcripts are an official record the IRS will allow you to have him call the IRS and request them to mail copies to him, and they are free, usually takes about 7 business days to receive them.

My husband and I had our interview yesterday and were told that we need a joint sponsor. My husbands income meets the poverty guideline but because he is self employed and his income is on his business tax return and not his personal tax return it cannot be used. We were told that our I-485 will be approved as soon as we give them the joint sponsor info. So the search is on for a co-sponsor. We are going to be asking my husbands aunt but I want to check something with you guys first about her situation.

She is married but has been separated from her husband for over 4 years now and they live in different states. So we are assuming she will have filed her taxes "married but filing separately", so we should only need her tax info if she's the only one on her return. Right?

Household Size - She currently lives with her boyfriend. When she fills out the household size does she only count herself and me (the intending immigrant) as she isn't financially supporting her boyfriend. So it would just be 2 and she would need to have earned at least $17,500?

She changed jobs 3 months ago to one that is better money and hours. So we have to ask her for a letter from her current employer that states how long shes worked there, job position, wages and number of hours a week she works? Since she changed jobs would the last 3 months of pay stubs from her current job be ok or does she need to give the last 3 months paystubs from her old job too?

Also, what happens if she doesn't keep her paystubs? Will her 2007 tax return, W2 and letter from employer be enough?

Our interviewer highlighted the parts on the RFE that we need to give her and those were:

Form I-864

Current employment letter

Tax Returns with W2's for the most recent tax year

She mentioned a years worth of pay stubs if the person hasn't filed 2007 taxes yet, in which we also show the extension letter, 2006 tax return with W2.

Any help would be appreciated guys. We want to make sure we have all the right information before we ask his aunt or anyone else.

[CB82 0]

Request the past 3 years of IRS tax transcripts of your husband to take to USCIS, if he has enough income to meet poverty guidelines then those will work fine, they are official IRS record and are accepted by USCIS. Also he might take 1099s he had from previous years when submitting prior income tax returns. If not those IRS tax transcripts are an official record the IRS will allow you to have him call the IRS and request them to mail copies to him, and they are free, usually takes about 7 business days to receive them.

Thanks for the advice zgt3344, but i don't think getting IRS transcripts will matter.

The income was shown on his 1120S and not his 1040. Our interviewer said it has to be on his 1040. So even though he is self-employed and made all the money himself, i'm guessing the IRS transcripts will still show how much is in each return, which won't help.

Thank you though.

[payxibka 10,044]

Request the past 3 years of IRS tax transcripts of your husband to take to USCIS, if he has enough income to meet poverty guidelines then those will work fine, they are official IRS record and are accepted by USCIS. Also he might take 1099s he had from previous years when submitting prior income tax returns. If not those IRS tax transcripts are an official record the IRS will allow you to have him call the IRS and request them to mail copies to him, and they are free, usually takes about 7 business days to receive them.

Thanks for the advice zgt3344, but i don't think getting IRS transcripts will matter.

The income was shown on his 1120S and not his 1040. Our interviewer said it has to be on his 1040. So even though he is self-employed and made all the money himself, i'm guessing the IRS transcripts will still show how much is in each return, which won't help.

Thank you though.

His income from the 1120S comes over to the 1040 and is reported on Schedule E......

[CB82 0]

Request the past 3 years of IRS tax transcripts of your husband to take to USCIS, if he has enough income to meet poverty guidelines then those will work fine, they are official IRS record and are accepted by USCIS. Also he might take 1099s he had from previous years when submitting prior income tax returns. If not those IRS tax transcripts are an official record the IRS will allow you to have him call the IRS and request them to mail copies to him, and they are free, usually takes about 7 business days to receive them.

Thanks for the advice zgt3344, but i don't think getting IRS transcripts will matter.

The income was shown on his 1120S and not his 1040. Our interviewer said it has to be on his 1040. So even though he is self-employed and made all the money himself, i'm guessing the IRS transcripts will still show how much is in each return, which won't help.

Thank you though.

His income from the 1120S comes over to the 1040 and is reported on Schedule E......

I don't know what way our tax guy did it, but Schedule E only shows like $3000.

[CB82 0]

I just checked his tax return. When you're self employed you have deductions, where they can deduct all purchases made through the year that were for the business. That leaves the $3000 which went over to his 1040. When he's applied for loans and stuff they always use his income from the 1120S and most self employed people have a lot of deductions as thats the point of getting incorporated.

Oh well.

If anyone can help with my joint sponsor questions at the top of the thread though, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

[payxibka 10,044]

I just checked his tax return. When you're self employed you have deductions, where they can deduct all purchases made through the year that were for the business. That leaves the $3000 which went over to his 1040. When he's applied for loans and stuff they always use his income from the 1120S and most self employed people have a lot of deductions as thats the point of getting incorporated.

Oh well.

If anyone can help with my joint sponsor questions at the top of the thread though, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

His business is not your sponsor... he is... so the amount that remains after he pays for all his business expenses is what is available to support you....

[CB82 0]

His business is not your sponsor... he is... so the amount that remains after he pays for all his business expenses is what is available to support you....

Thank you for your response. Yeah after his expense his income is then not enough to sponsor me.

So we will need a co-sponsor. Can you help me with my questions on the co-sponsor? I just want to make sure I have all my info right and that we get everything to our interviewer that she needs so she can approve us.

We are planning on asking my husbands aunt to be our co-sponsor. She is married but has been separated from her husband for over 4 years now and they live in different states. So we are assuming she will have filed her taxes "married but filing separately", so we should only need her tax info if she's the only one on her return. Right?

Household Size - She currently lives with her boyfriend. When she fills out the household size does she only count herself and me (the intending immigrant) as she isn't financially supporting her boyfriend. So it would just be 2 and she would need to have earned at least $17,500? Though having looked at the I-864 it says count spouse. So does that make her household size 3?

She changed jobs 3 months ago to one that is better money and hours. So we have to ask her for a letter from her current employer that states how long shes worked there, job position, wages and number of hours a week she works? Since she changed jobs would the last 3 months of pay stubs from her current job be ok or does she need to give the last 3 months paystubs from her old job too?

Also, what happens if she doesn't keep her paystubs? Will her 2007 tax return, W2 and letter from employer be enough?

Thank you

Edited April 20, 2008 by CB82

[payxibka 10,044]

His business is not your sponsor... he is... so the amount that remains after he pays for all his business expenses is what is available to support you....

Thank you for your response. Yeah after his expense his income is then not enough to sponsor me.

So we will need a co-sponsor. Can you help me with my questions on the co-sponsor? I just want to make sure I ahve all my info right and that we get everything to our interviewer that she needs so she can approve us.

We are planning on asking my husbands aunt to my our co-sponsor. She is married but has been separated from her husband for over 4 years now and they live in different states. So we are assuming she will have filed her taxes "married but filing separately", so we should only need her tax info if she's the only one on her return. Right?

Household Size - She currently lives with her boyfriend. When she fills out the household size does she only count herself and me (the intending immigrant) as she isn't financially supporting her boyfriend. So it would just be 2 and she would need to have earned at least $17,500?

She changed jobs 3 months ago to one that is better money and hours. So we have to ask her for a letter from her current employer that states how long shes worked there, job position, wages and number of hours a week she works? Since she changed jobs would the last 3 months of pay stubs from her current job be ok or does she need to give the last 3 months paystubs from her old job too?

Also, what happens if she doesn't keep her paystubs? Will her 2007 tax return, W2 and letter from employer be enough?

Thank you

Household size will be the number of dependants on her tax return + the alien fiance(e)

Are 3 mos. of paystubs required by the consulate? I would think the most recent stub particularly if it provides YTD information would give the CO what he/she is looking for. For 2007 the W-2 is as good or better than stubs.

[CB82 0]

Household size will be the number of dependants on her tax return + the alien fiance(e)

Are 3 mos. of paystubs required by the consulate? I would think the most recent stub particularly if it provides YTD information would give the CO what he/she is looking for. For 2007 the W-2 is as good or better than stubs.

Thank you so much for your response.

So on the I-864 where it says in Part 5, 21c

If you are currently married, enter "1" for your spouse

should she put 0 if he's not a dependant on her tax return.

Again, thank you.

Edited April 20, 2008 by CB82

[CB82 0]

We just asked my husbands aunt and she said she would be my joint sponsor. Just to make sure that she qualifies we want to make sure how to determine her household size, to see how much she definitely has to have made whether its $17,500 for 2 people or $22,000 for 3.

She said she filed married but filing separately.

It asks on the I-864 to enter 1 for spouse. As she technically has a spouse even though they have been separated for 4 years and she is not financially supporting him as they live in different states, does she put 0? Or because she is still married does she have to put 1? We don't want it to look like we're with-holding information or lying if she doesn't count him. If someone knows the answer to this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all.