Address Update question - We bought a house!

[ClayinChina 0]

So, as of a few weeks ago, Lisa and I were able to buy a house! We can't really afford it. I'm still a student and only working part time, and Lisa is working full time at $9 an hour, but with deals out there this good, we couldn't resist when my uncle's family wanted to get an old rental house off his hands as fast as possible. It needs some serious work, but my other uncle is out of working waiting for the construction market to start back up again, and has offered to do most of the work for room and board. And with the tax credit, how could we resist? My question, however, is about the address change. In order to get the tax credit, which we need right away to start work on the house, we need to start living in the house as our principal residence. But it will be February at the earliest before the place is in condition for us to move in (lots of construction dust and disconnected bathroom water while we completely redo it). I have no problem filing taxes there, even though we won't be moving in a few months, but I'm still paranoid about the DHS change of address notice. If we aren't officially living there yet, I'm wondering if I should file the change of address now, at the same time as filing for the tax rebate, or wait until we actually live there.

Maybe I'm being overly technical about it all, but with Lisa still have the conditional green card, the last thing I want is to cause trouble that could delay removal of conditions or something.

Thanks for anyone that has an opinion on the situation.

Clay

[v333k 59]

So, as of a few weeks ago, Lisa and I were able to buy a house! We can't really afford it. I'm still a student and only working part time, and Lisa is working full time at $9 an hour, but with deals out there this good, we couldn't resist when my uncle's family wanted to get an old rental house off his hands as fast as possible. It needs some serious work, but my other uncle is out of working waiting for the construction market to start back up again, and has offered to do most of the work for room and board. And with the tax credit, how could we resist? My question, however, is about the address change. In order to get the tax credit, which we need right away to start work on the house, we need to start living in the house as our principal residence. But it will be February at the earliest before the place is in condition for us to move in (lots of construction dust and disconnected bathroom water while we completely redo it). I have no problem filing taxes there, even though we won't be moving in a few months, but I'm still paranoid about the DHS change of address notice. If we aren't officially living there yet, I'm wondering if I should file the change of address now, at the same time as filing for the tax rebate, or wait until we actually live there.

Maybe I'm being overly technical about it all, but with Lisa still have the conditional green card, the last thing I want is to cause trouble that could delay removal of conditions or something.

Thanks for anyone that has an opinion on the situation.

Clay

Can you provide a little more details?

Is the house close to where you currently live?

Is it in a livable condition?

Edited December 4, 2009 by v333k

[Darnell 8,478]

1. fix the mailbox first.

2. handle the change of address forms next (USCIS forms )

No Other Worries, IMO...

But - check the mailbox every few days... Also have your mail forwarded there...

There is no issue for domicile after the address change with uscis. no issue before, either, but .... sometimes faster is better...

GoGoGadget TaxBreak !

[Darnell 8,478]

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it's late, but...

I'll write some more about it later on Friday, with examples and citations..

Unless, of course, someone else chips in before i can get to it..

[ClayinChina 0]

Can you provide a little more details?

Is the house close to where you currently live?

Is it in a livable condition?

Sorry, I wrote this, then got caught up at work, and Christmas, etc, and didn't get back to answer your question.

The house is about 20 minutes away from where I currently live. It is definitely not in livable condition. At the moment, the bathroom is completely gutted, with no toilet/sink/shower while we redo the drywall and get new fixtures over the next month. We had hot water in the kitchen, but when we discovered the floor under the washer and dryer and water heater was completely rotted and growing mold, we had to tear it out and our going to completely redo that room, so no hot water for at least a couple of months.

Thank god for my always understanding and supportive parents (though this last year of having 2 sets of married children living in their basement has pushed them to the limit) who say we can stay at their house until the remodeling is complete.

We haven't had to worry about the IRS since I originally wrote this, however, because they are almost 2 months late coming out with the updated tax form we are required to use to file for the first time home buyer credit (We bought it before November 30th, but mere days after congress extended the credit and modified the rules.)

So now I still have the same question. I will be sending in for the tax credit in the next week, when the new form is released. Since we probably won't be moving in til late February, early March at the EARLIEST, should I file the change of address forms with USCIS before I file for the tax credit? Or should I just not worry about it until we are actually moving in to the house?

Thanks, I know it's a convoluted question.

Clay