Filing Taxes

[Eshansmommy 2]

Hi,

I'm a permanent resident or conditional permanent resident with a 2 yr green card. I received this greencard in early 2009 and I started working in the summer. I was just filing my taxes and one of the questions was if I was a resident for the entire year of 2009. After I had changed it to "no" my tax return money dropped to almost nothing. I don't get it... it didn't even ask me how long I've been a resident. I worked most of 2009 and I am claiming 2 kids, so why would it be so low after that question? What do you guys fill in? And do you think I should just fill it out as if I was a resident the entire year? I just think it's kinda unfair since I did work and paid taxes for most of the year...

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I think it is that you aren't eligible for EIC if you didn't live here for the vast majority or all of the prior tax year. You also are not eligible if you filed Form 2555. That would knock quite a bit off your refund.

To qualify for the credit, you must:

* Have a valid Social Security Number (if you are filing a joint return, your spouse also must have a valid Social Security Number)

* Have earned income from employment or from self-employment

* Have a filing status other than married, filing separately

* Be a U.S. citizen or resident alien all year, or a nonresident alien married to a U.S. citizen or resident alien and filing a joint return

* Not be a qualifying child of another person (if you are filing a joint return, your spouse also can not be a qualifying person)

* Not have investment income over a certain amount

* Not file Form 2555 or 2555-EZ (related to foreign earned income), and

* Have a qualifying child OR:

o be age 25 but under 65 at the end of the year

o live in the United States for more than half the year, and

o not qualify as a dependent of another person

[Texanadian 10]

Since you have the choice to be a resident for the entire tax year (taxed on worldwide income) or a non-resident (taxed only on US source income) during your 1st year in the US (prior to getting a green card), I'd certainly think that having a green card would mean you're a resident for the entire year.

You lived in the US the entire time after all.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Your documents mean nothing when it comes to taxes.

Illegals, hookers and drug smugglers even have a tax liability. If you have been present in the USA for more than 180 days in 2009, you have been a resident for that fiscal year in regard to income taxes. Cheating on taxes, even due to ignorance, is a sure-foot way to get in serious trouble with Uncle Sam and the 7 dwarfs.

[M.O 6]

ohh lovely taxes taxes...yeah they dont ask how long you have been a resident for...if its lesss than a year..

Good luck to you...

[psiprez 3]

We actually went to a tax preparer hubby's first year here (2008), because we had no clue what to do.

I just checked our 2008 return, and we did not receive the EIC. He was only here for 4 months of 2008, so we didn't qualify.

This year we did receive it, our refund is significantly higher.