I-864 tax return that is completed, but not yet filed

[AD123 0]

Does anybody have experience sending in tax returns that have not yet been filed with the IRS?  I would like to include my 2019 return, as my 2018 return does not meet the minimum income threshold.  However, I have not yet been able to send the 2019 return to the IRS because we are waiting to obtain a certified copy of my husband's passport (to file for an ITIN) and the offices are closed due to COVID-19.  Will the completed 2019 tax return work, provided I send my W-2 and an explanation letter stating that we have not yet sent it in to the IRS?

[arken 4,197]

I doubt that will work. Until filed it’s not a tax return, it’s just a form filled with numbers and words.

[Quarknase 1,072]

1 hour ago, arken said:

I doubt that will work. Until filed it’s not a tax return, it’s just a form filled with numbers and words.

I double that

[MarlinCobon 51]

15 hours ago, AD123 said:

Does anybody have experience sending in tax returns that have not yet been filed with the IRS?  I would like to include my 2019 return, as my 2018 return does not meet the minimum income threshold.  However, I have not yet been able to send the 2019 return to the IRS because we are waiting to obtain a certified copy of my husband's passport (to file for an ITIN) and the offices are closed due to COVID-19.  Will the completed 2019 tax return work, provided I send my W-2 and an explanation letter stating that we have not yet sent it in to the IRS?

is MFJ is the route you want to take? you could do MFS (best way to go).

[AD123 0]

1 hour ago, MarlinCobon said:

is MFJ is the route you want to take? you could do MFS (best way to go).

Thanks for the suggestion! I might end up going that way, but it would be a shame to miss out on the tax break.

[arken 4,197]

23 minutes ago, AD123 said:

Thanks for the suggestion! I might end up going that way, but it would be a shame to miss out on the tax break.

You wouldn’t be losing the tax break. After your spouse immigrates and have SSN, you can amend the tax return for 2019 from MFS to MFJ and will get the good return at that time. 

[Katie & Camilo 23]

23 minutes ago, AD123 said:

Thanks for the suggestion! I might end up going that way, but it would be a shame to miss out on the tax break.

You can amend as MFJ once your husband gets his SSN! We filed for the ITIN (my accountant did it incorrectly and sent the paper work for it without my tax return) but then realized that it's probably never going to arrive due to covid. So we ended up filing MFS and will amend once he gets here!

[AD123 0]

Oh, that's brilliant @Katie & Camilo and @arken - that's exactly what I'll do thank you so much!

[sbarbie1914 22]

I went to the local IRS office back in early February to get my husband's passport verified while he was visiting and to apply for a ITN.  We had to submit our tax return at the same time.  I got the ITN mid March and nothing yet on my tax return.  I read that the IRS stopped processing paper returns due to the corononavirus and will begin again when processing centers reopen.  They also said not to file electronically if you already filed a paper tax return.  So much for trying to file early this year. 😔