Filing Taxes and the options of how to file

[ManuNSam 1]

Ok - i have been reading up on things here.

im a little confused at the tax issue. so anyone who can lend some info i would be grateful.

we are married, husband is not here in the states yet (coming soon!)

Seems the options to file taxes are

Married filing separately or Marrried filing jointly (right?)

Married filing jointly would require me to get the ITIN for him

from what i understand this is just an additional paper that i put in with the tax forms. Does anyone know if its in Turbo tax?

Also - i would have to have his salary info and tax info from his country.

The benefit to filing jointly is that i get to claim him as a dependent? is this correct? seems that the personal deduction for a couple is going to be more than he made in his country. so it seems like it would be a better deal.

Would we have to pay taxes in the US for the money he made in India?

Married filing separately would be easier, no ITIN, no tax/salary info from him. but no benefits of claiming as a dependent. ???

Theres a tax benefit to filing jointly right? because we get the deduction for 2 people instead of 1.

do i have the right idea?

on another question........

has anyone ever made tax payments.

i was a consultant this year and i didnt pay taxes along the way........(bad bad me)

but - once i file my taxes i can choose to make payments on what is due.

anyone know if thats right?

thanks in advance

sam

[apgk 0]

Ok - i have been reading up on things here.

im a little confused at the tax issue. so anyone who can lend some info i would be grateful.

we are married, husband is not here in the states yet (coming soon!)

Seems the options to file taxes are

Married filing separately or Marrried filing jointly (right?)

Married filing jointly would require me to get the ITIN for him

from what i understand this is just an additional paper that i put in with the tax forms. Does anyone know if its in Turbo tax?

Also - i would have to have his salary info and tax info from his country.

The benefit to filing jointly is that i get to claim him as a dependent? is this correct?

No I think you cannot claim him as a dependent but rather take 2 personal exemptions on

you federal return (2*$3,300)

seems that the personal deduction for a couple is going to be more than he made in his country. so it seems like it would be a better deal.

probably. Its easy math. You get to take 2 personal exemptions (one each of $3,300) on fed return

the you standard deduction is doubled - for fed return it would be close to $10,000

additionally, if his income is much lower then yours, then you also get advantage of a lower

marginal rate - if you add up numbers you can see how much you would end up

paying when you file as jointly or separately.

Would we have to pay taxes in the US for the money he made in India?

Not necesarrily. But read up the Publication 17 on www.irs.gov and confirm this.

Married filing separately would be easier, no ITIN, no tax/salary info from him. but no benefits of claiming as a dependent. ???

probably.

Theres a tax benefit to filing jointly right? because we get the deduction for 2 people instead of 1.

do i have the right idea?

Right and lower tax also (if spouse's income is sustantially lower then you get benefit in filing a joint return)

on another question........

has anyone ever made tax payments.

i was a consultant this year and i didnt pay taxes along the way........(bad bad me)

but - once i file my taxes i can choose to make payments on what is due.

anyone know if thats right?

Not good tax planning you might also have to pay penalty under some

circumstances.

Please read Publication 17. Everyone should read it. Its free. Ask IRS

they will send it for FREE. Its makes good coffee table reading and/or

bedtime reading

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

If you do turbotax online you can try out different variables before you actually file. Plus it saves your info for next year.

http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax_products/on..._products.jhtml

[ManuNSam 1]

does turbo tax include the ability to include the ITIN?

does it ask the right questions to inlcude out of country income (my husbands)?

sam

[BelwinMills 0]

You need to fill out the W7 form to get him the ITIN number. We filled an extension because to get a number it takes 4 to 6 weeks. Check out this site. We filled jointly it is a better choice and the Embassy at the interview will know we are serious.

Check out this web site: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,...7,00.html#apply

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

does turbo tax include the ability to include the ITIN?

does it ask the right questions to inlcude out of country income (my husbands)?

sam

I just checked my turbotax online account and it only had a space for ssn

check this out

http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/taxes/non-res...ouse-57577.html

[ManuNSam 1]

i thought that the W7 jsut has to be submitted iwth the tax forms?

[homesick_american 1]

The IRS told me to file as 'married, filing separately' because my husband was not a US resident...apparently I couldn't file jointly with him because of that. Don't take my word for it though; double-check with the IRS if you're in any way unsure. They're actually pretty nice on the phone; the woman I spoke to gave me a direct dial number to her, and I've called her again a couple of times with questions about returns. She's a sweetheart. I just wish I hadn't lost her number.