Gentlemans agreement

[pooh_loves_muffet 0]

You cannot pick the conditions under which your heart is going to tell you, "This is your true companion." I only hope integrity is not my undoing. Please help me sort this out. Please.

I never imagined my clone would be from another country, but that is the mystique of the internet. We are all united in this way.

I have a situation that, perhaps, some may understand. Small town, simple values, your word is your bond, type of scenario.

I'm on the fence, regarding how to proceed. I have been divorced, but the fallout has dragged my best friend into the mess, financially. Imagine a shared household, some co-signings, loans, credit cards, all in the interest of building each others credit, then I divorce her, for very good reason, and she later files for bankruptcy. My best friend winds up with all her bills, having cosigned. She was actually helping him with building his credit, but that is not how it ended.

My best friend is sole proprietor of a very small custom carpentry business. Just he and I. Small potatoes, but we do great work. I did not accept a paycheck for years... about 5 or 6. Yes, the damage was that bad.

Things have improved. I have 2006 to claim as reasonable income for myself, but he has not filed. We are only floating. I have a solid co-sponsor and my fiancee and I plan to use the John F. Roth & Associates visa lawyer advertised all over this site.

I have read that as "self-employed," I must submit copies of every 1040. Uh... My life was a simple I.O.U. prior to meeting the (technically, alien fiancee) woman with whom a lifetime is not long enough. Most of her stuff is here. She helped paint our bedroom, and she purchased curtains and lamps and things for it. She has a personality and feelings and loves me for me! My fun buddy. You get the picture.

Sorry. Just very confused and upset. I am afraid the truth sucks and I am afraid to lie or embellish. I am not sure what to do. The legalities SUCK. This is genuine love, not politics.

If I file back taxes, I would have to lie. And that would appear contrived because I am trying to marry someone from abroad. Too many variables. My best friend is not inclined to filing taxes because that is 1/3 of the little income we made, and that would bury us, since we've been contending with so much debt.

Enough drama. Any clarity appreciated. The lawyer (not yet hired to proceed) is either very confident or did not feel obligated to answer some of my most personally important inquiries without charge. I hope we don't need to spend over $2000 for a lawyer to go through the formalities, even if they know it is hopeless.

[pooh_loves_muffet 0]

anyone?

[MDSMIF 0]

The choice is up to you to hire a lawyer or not. It is just a personal preference or your degree of comfort dealing with filing out forms. As for being self employed, you and I have a common problem. Except I filed my taxes but chose to leave most money in my business to help grow it and buy other investments. This is what I think you should do: go back and file taxes, get a temporary job and/or co-sponsor. As far as back taxes, get yourself a good accountant to help you figure this out. This is a big problem you have. TECHNICALLY IT IS TAX EVASION.

Moreover, the answers I gave you are fairly simplistic in nature. Contact a professional or maybe one of the other people here maybe able to help more. Wish you the best of luck.

[meauxna 15]

anyone?

I can't really make out the issue.

You need to file your back tax returns?

Your income is insufficient regardless?

You have a Joint Sponsor.

PS: the lawyer ads are generated by google; they're not endorsements from the site in any way/shape/form. There are no/low cost legal aide alternatives, many specifically for immigrants that you might want to look into.

[everandel 0]

if your friend and you are working together, then it's not a sole propietorship, it's a partnership. If it's your friend's business and you are just helping, then you are an employee. In any rate, if you are having income paid or not and you don't report it, that is tax evasion. The best thing to do would be to contact a good accountant. I can't understand why people don't do things right from the beginning when it comes to busniesses, I saves a lot of headaches down the road.

[pooh_loves_muffet 0]

The choice is up to you to hire a lawyer or not. It is just a personal preference or your degree of comfort dealing with filing out forms. As for being self employed, you and I have a common problem. Except I filed my taxes but chose to leave most money in my business to help grow it and buy other investments. This is what I think you should do: go back and file taxes, get a temporary job and/or co-sponsor. As far as back taxes, get yourself a good accountant to help you figure this out. This is a big problem you have. TECHNICALLY IT IS TAX EVASION.

Having a lawyer deal with matters of law seemed reasonable to me. I would rather spend some money for assurance than be paranoid that I did something wrong.

With regard to filing back taxes, like I said, I would have to be inventive. I simply do not have records of money going through any personal bank accounts. I did not get a paycheck.

The business is in my best friends name. He is sole proprietor. My name is on a business credit card. Should or could I claim I am an employee? Would that cause troubles for him? If I have no choice but to file 1040 back taxes, how many years do I have to go back to substantiate myself? What would the embassies look at to substantiate it? I would have to claim low income. Claiming I made income to exceed their guidelines, in light of circumstances, may look worse... I think.

I know I need to provide enough info of Supporting Evidence, but I am paranoid I may provide too much and diminish hers/my chances. I read somewhere, I think the 1-864 documentation, that I can attach a note of explanation. Is this a bad idea?

I have a very solid co-sponsor. Does this help or eliminate any of the above problems?

My best friend offered to put things in my name to bolster assets. We have an unfinished house that is completely paid for... but is not much to look at. He wants to sign the work truck over to me too. Is this even helpful?

This I.O.U has gone so far south.

[everandel 0]

I would go with the co-sponsor and leave the skeletons in the closet. Then resolve your ownership or employment issues and move from there.

[pooh_loves_muffet 0]

I would go with the co-sponsor and leave the skeletons in the closet. Then resolve your ownership or employment issues and move from there.

Hi.

Could you be more specific?

[MDSMIF 0]

I did say that the info I provided was simplistic. Next time get the entire quote. Either way a professional is in order to help him out of the hole he dug for himself.

The choice is up to you to hire a lawyer or not. It is just a personal preference or your degree of comfort dealing with filing out forms. As for being self employed, you and I have a common problem. Except I filed my taxes but chose to leave most money in my business to help grow it and buy other investments. This is what I think you should do: go back and file taxes, get a temporary job and/or co-sponsor. As far as back taxes, get yourself a good accountant to help you figure this out. This is a big problem you have. TECHNICALLY IT IS TAX EVASION.

Having a lawyer deal with matters of law seemed reasonable to me. I would rather spend some money for assurance than be paranoid that I did something wrong.

With regard to filing back taxes, like I said, I would have to be inventive. I simply do not have records of money going through any personal bank accounts. I did not get a paycheck.

The business is in my best friends name. He is sole proprietor. My name is on a business credit card. Should or could I claim I am an employee? Would that cause troubles for him? If I have no choice but to file 1040 back taxes, how many years do I have to go back to substantiate myself? What would the embassies look at to substantiate it? I would have to claim low income. Claiming I made income to exceed their guidelines, in light of circumstances, may look worse... I think.

I know I need to provide enough info of Supporting Evidence, but I am paranoid I may provide too much and diminish hers/my chances. I read somewhere, I think the 1-864 documentation, that I can attach a note of explanation. Is this a bad idea?

I have a very solid co-sponsor. Does this help or eliminate any of the above problems?

My best friend offered to put things in my name to bolster assets. We have an unfinished house that is completely paid for... but is not much to look at. He wants to sign the work truck over to me too. Is this even helpful?

This I.O.U has gone so far south.

[rebeccajo 14]

If I have no choice but to file 1040 back taxes, how many years do I have to go back to substantiate myself?

I think if you ask the tax man, he'll say all of the years you missed.

[1HappyGuy 45]

If I understand this correctly, you have not filed your income taxes for 2003 and 2004 but did for 2005. Now you are worried about showing enough income for your fiancee's approval. First, I would say that claiming you were an employee of your friend would be a problem for him since you do not have a W-2 from him. If you and he work together in a business, then yes it is a partnership. However, your situation sounds like two self employed individuals that basically are in the same type of business. If you had self employment income of more than $400 (net profit) in any year, then you are required to file an income tax return.

Now it is possible that you did not have any income in those unfiled years and were not required to file a tax return. This does happen from time to time, even in America. But that being said, you will need to be prepared for show the IRS how it was you were able to survive without income. Maybe you lived with a parent or very good friend and they didn't mind taking care of you temporarily or lived on borrowed money. If you can prove this, then you don't have any problem about the non-filed years. But, it might be a good idea to file the tax returns for those other years and pay any taxes.

The consulate in your fiancee's home country is concerned that you have current income or sufficient assets to support both of you above the poverty lines. The most current tax return is always the best indicator of your status. If you did not need to file in the prior years, then just state that in an attachment to your financial responsibility documents. You should also be aware that the embassy wants self employed individuals to provide two years worth of bank statements that show enough deposits to satisify the amount of income reported.

Also, you should get your friend to file his taxes too. The IRS has a very long memory and they love to go after people that never file or refuse on some type of "Constitutional" reason. This type of stuff does not go away, it only gets worse. Just do it!

I am a professional with over 30 years experience.

[pooh_loves_muffet 0]

If I understand this correctly, you have not filed your income taxes for 2003 and 2004 but did for 2005. Now you are worried about showing enough income for your fiancee's approval. First, I would say that claiming you were an employee of your friend would be a problem for him since you do not have a W-2 from him. If you and he work together in a business, then yes it is a partnership. However, your situation sounds like two self employed individuals that basically are in the same type of business. If you had self employment income of more than $400 (net profit) in any year, then you are required to file an income tax return.

Now it is possible that you did not have any income in those unfiled years and were not required to file a tax return. This does happen from time to time, even in America. But that being said, you will need to be prepared for show the IRS how it was you were able to survive without income. Maybe you lived with a parent or very good friend and they didn't mind taking care of you temporarily or lived on borrowed money. If you can prove this, then you don't have any problem about the non-filed years. But, it might be a good idea to file the tax returns for those other years and pay any taxes.

The consulate in your fiancee's home country is concerned that you have current income or sufficient assets to support both of you above the poverty lines. The most current tax return is always the best indicator of your status. If you did not need to file in the prior years, then just state that in an attachment to your financial responsibility documents. You should also be aware that the embassy wants self employed individuals to provide two years worth of bank statements that show enough deposits to satisify the amount of income reported.

Also, you should get your friend to file his taxes too. The IRS has a very long memory and they love to go after people that never file or refuse on some type of "Constitutional" reason. This type of stuff does not go away, it only gets worse. Just do it!

I am a professional with over 30 years experience.

Am I to assume you are a lawyer? I am grateful for the clarity you have given me.

It was 2006, where I was able to make deposits to my checking account.

Sounds like I have my work cut out for me, but now I have a far better understanding of what must be done. The thing that stirs in the back of my mind is, why hasn't the lawyer, aware of my dilema, been direct with me? I guess that his legal counsel was not in effect until I sent the check. Hmmm

Thank you so much for your instruction.