What is a reasonable cost???

[Love To Teach 161]

I am meeting an accountant who does international taxes. I am wanting to amend my last two years' of taxes. I filed married but separately and want to go back and file jointly. I put my husband as "Non-Resident Alien" as per directions. I have now received my husbands tax/business papers from Pakistan and want to go back and amend my taxes for those two years. The accountant would have to take my taxes and add my husband's income to amend the taxes. He might also help me file for an ITN number. My husband has a business there in Pakistan, so there might be forms for those. I want to do this for the past two years. I really wanted to just put my husband's income on my form along with the papers he sent me (which list deductions, etc), but I'm sure I probably have to do a long form self-employed business form for him....grrrrr

 

Can somebody tell me with this information a "ball park figure" of how much this might cost? I want to make sure he is not taking advantage of me. He has already raised the consultation fee since I talked to him 6 months ago. I have always done my own taxes because I never have any deductions, but this is more complicated.

 

Thanks for the information.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Love To Teach

[EG&XY 144]

Do you really think it will be worth all the hassle? I suspect that by the time it is all done you will have spent almost as much getting it done as you might save in the end. Sorry, I really can't tell you how much it might be (my guess would be maybe $500-1000 or maybe even more depending on just how complicated the business paperwork is), but given that your husband has his own business I think that the headache will probably greater than the benefit.

 

Also, something to be aware of. If you do file jointly then your husband would also likely come under the requirement to file an FBAR (http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/NoRegFBARFiler.html). Basically, if has has financial holdings at the end of or during some point during the year (probably the last two years since you are going back and doing back taxes) of greater than $10,000 then he would have to disclose all of his financial holdings. This doesn't have anything to do with determining your taxes, but it has to do with the government being able to monitor financial holdings for potential money laundering/terrorist activities/etc. Your accountant should be aware of this too and can either give you more guidance or possibly help you complete the form. It isn't hard, just more documentation to find and fill out and another headache that you may not have been aware of.

[Saadat Alam 24]

I would give you my suggestion, it all depends on you if you want to accpet my suggestion, do not do that, it's not worth it. You would spend much money and too much hassle. Now its up to you. Amending tax would not resolve the main problem, it might do a little work but its not worth it at all.

[Saadat Alam 24]

If you really wanna bring your husband, make a strong case and then file a federal writ of mandamus lawsuit, its a powerful tool right now for you, writs of mandamus have been successful in cases against the USCIS for a number of years, filing such a legal action against the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to resolve a visa processing delay at a U.S. embassy or consulate has been rare. This is because U.S. consular officers working overseas are often afforded protection against lawsuits under the doctrine of consular non-reviewability, which is akin to diplomatic immunity. Even considering this obstacle and the novel nature of the type of lawsuit. Court would ask you for documents supporting your husband case and then they would contact DOS and DOS might contact Embassy for details of your case about how it was denied and why it was denied and then DOS would present a decision to court to make a final decision, if your case is strong then court would ask DOS to explain why and how your husband should not be approved for an immigrant visa, if they do not present strong documents then it would be necessary for court to make a final decision agains them. This is just my suggestion, now its upto you. mandamus resolved many cases abroad and domestic.