OCTOBER AOS 2018 Filers

[Naes 12,205]

14 minutes ago, akoko-01 said:

thanks. so we r gonna go to H&R Block but I would like you to confirm these steps just so we will be ready when we go there:

we will file regular taxes but this time we need to add my husband's annual income. then later we r gonna deduct it in later spaces on the form. then we r gonna attach a statement which I don't know what it is but read about it on the internet.

then if we have bank account, we need to file FBAR. is that it?

If you are filing jointly, you will be filing form 2555, if your husband’s annual foreign income was lower than the amount (somewhere above $100000 I don’t remember exactly) then you can exclude it. If you file jointly then the foreigner will count as resident (and to file 2555 you need to past through tax home test and residency test- just check irs)

 

it can get complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing so H&R Block May be a good idea for the first year.

[redcat56 25]

On 1/25/2019 at 12:05 AM, Rocko20 said:

Sorry if already asked, how did you guys file your taxes if the foreign spouse doesn't have a SSN yet? I filed mine (married filed jointly) with my spouse's SSN (from her cultural visa which came with a SSN which allowed her to work) but it was rejected by the IRS.

 

I assume we have to file a W-7 (for an ITIN) with the tax return?

We did file jointly last year and put "applied for" for the ITIN and the w-7

[redcat56 25]

We should be coming up with an interview time---according to our field office timeline. My only worry is that I am going out of the country for 6 days right at the time my field office averages its interviews. What is the average time frame from getting the interview letter to the actual date? What if I am  on my trip during this time (hubby is staying home) If we reschedule this , does it bump us way down the line? 

 

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

14 hours ago, redcat56 said:

We should be coming up with an interview time---according to our field office timeline. My only worry is that I am going out of the country for 6 days right at the time my field office averages its interviews. What is the average time frame from getting the interview letter to the actual date? What if I am  on my trip during this time (hubby is staying home) If we reschedule this , does it bump us way down the line? 

 

 

You can reschedule. I think worrying that the interview will fall in that 6 day probably 4 working day vacation is just being overly nervous though.

[lauretta2007 37]

Good afternoon- I have a question for anyone who may know the answer. Although we are waiting for advanced parole to leave the country, can my husband still board a plane to go to a domestic destination? And what about the US Virgin Islands? Would we be able to fly there? 

[metehn 2]

3 hours ago, lauretta2007 said:

Good afternoon- I have a question for anyone who may know the answer. Although we are waiting for advanced parole to leave the country, can my husband still board a plane to go to a domestic destination? And what about the US Virgin Islands? Would we be able to fly there? 

You don't have to pass from passport control in domestic flights. you will show your passport as an id in domestic flights. 

You suppose to fly to US Virgin Islands.

Edited February 6, 2019 by metehn

[ypsirccim 40]

Had my interview today in Boston. Everything went pretty smoothly, outside of the insannnnnnne amount of people DT for the Pats Parade. 

Our interviewer was great and he made things pretty stress free. The questions ranged from basic parents names etc all the way to our carpet color (which was funny).

 

 

He said baring anything else showing up on the back end, we should be approved no problem. I checked our case status just now and it looks like it's already updated: 

 

Edited February 6, 2019 by ypsirccim

[ypsirccim 40]

 

 

Duplicate. 

Edited February 6, 2019 by ypsirccim

[Rocko20 159]

Congratulations, very happy for you. 

[redcat56 25]

On 2/5/2019 at 2:44 PM, lauretta2007 said:

Good afternoon- I have a question for anyone who may know the answer. Although we are waiting for advanced parole to leave the country, can my husband still board a plane to go to a domestic destination? And what about the US Virgin Islands? Would we be able to fly there? 

We have flown several times this year and it was no problem at all flying domestic with passport. I had all our documents (letters and copies ) just in case--but it was very simple. 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

I don't know how important this is to anyone, but since we have been talking a lot about taxes I'll post it. My wife got her SSN last week and I tried to file married filing joint on Monday but it was declined because my spouses info did not match the e-file database. After some research I realized I had to wait a while. Re-filed today and it was accepted. My understanding is as long as you were married by December 31st you are eligible to file married filing joint just as a regular citizen would and it was extremely advantageous to me as she had 0 income. Hope this helps someone.

[BnK 367]

6 minutes ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

I don't know how important this is to anyone, but since we have been talking a lot about taxes I'll post it. My wife got her SSN last week and I tried to file married filing joint on Monday but it was declined because my spouses info did not match the e-file database. After some research I realized I had to wait a while. Re-filed today and it was accepted. My understanding is as long as you were married by December 31st you are eligible to file married filing joint just as a regular citizen would and it was extremely advantageous to me as she had 0 income. Hope this helps someone.

Yes this is what i know too but i’ve been reading from some peoples post saying that spouses should have been here in the U.S for 6 mos before they can be included. This confused me a little bit. Any idea?

 

Anyhow, we have not finalized our tax filing yet since we are still waiting for my sons SSN (also looking into filing an ITIN in case it wont arrive next mo together w his combo)

[ThomasNC1988 762]

8 minutes ago, BnK said:

Yes this is what i know too but i’ve been reading from some peoples post saying that spouses should have been here in the U.S for 6 mos before they can be included. This confused me a little bit. Any idea?

 

Anyhow, we have not finalized our tax filing yet since we are still waiting for my sons SSN (also looking into filing an ITIN in case it wont arrive next mo together w his combo)

I did a lot of looking around and came down to this. As long as you are married as on December 31st they do not even have to be in the US. It also says right at the beginning that it covers situations in which they were a non resident part of the year and a resident the other part. It doesn't directly apply to the K-1 situation but it made it pretty clear I wasn't doing it wrong by claiming the exemption for her. Filing status is always about your situation on December 31st is my understanding. I am not an accountant.(I feel I should mention that)

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse

 

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by ThomasNC1988

[BnK 367]

25 minutes ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

I did a lot of looking around and came down to this. As long as you are married as on December 31st they do not even have to be in the US. It also says right at the beginning that it covers situations in which they were a non resident part of the year and a resident the other part. It doesn't directly apply to the K-1 situation but it made it pretty clear I wasn't doing it wrong by claiming the exemption for her. Filing status is always about your situation on December 31st is my understanding. I am not an accountant.(I feel I should mention that)

 

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse

 

 

Yes that’s what I am believing too and will be doing with our taxes as soon as everything is ready...

im trying to understand how they calculate things here,  havent really fully understood their system yet ( I am not an accountant too  ) Unlike in my country where its easy to compute for your taxes even if our company files it for us

[ThomasNC1988 762]

8 minutes ago, BnK said:

Yes that’s what I am believing too and will be doing with our taxes as soon as everything is ready...

im trying to understand how they calculate things here,  havent really fully understood their system yet ( I am not an accountant too  ) Unlike in my country where its easy to compute for your taxes even if our company files it for us

I have used Credit Karma Tax the past 2 years. It is by far the easiest and cheapest(free) that I have seen if you do not have a complicated return.

Edited February 8, 2019 by ThomasNC1988