efile with SSN or wait for ITIN to process?

[potatotoe 0]

We filed for AOS in October 2019. When tax time rolled around, I had to submit W7 form with my federal return for my spouse. In Feb 2020 we went to the Taxpayer Assistance Center and they verified documents and sent it along to Austin. Then Covid hit and nothing since then - paperwork hasn't been started, hasn't been received, crickets. 

 

Just our luck, last week the EAD got approved and she got her Social Security Card this week. I am wondering if I can use the SSN to efile instead of waiting for them to process an ITIN # and then submit the return for processing. Normally this takes a long time, much less covid time. 

 

I know legally we are not allowed to have both ITIN and SSN but these are extraordinary times; the ITIN would have been processed by now and return submitted. We can't contact anyone to stop or rescind the ITIN paperwork, and who knows how much longer this will take, with their 10 million pieces of mail and reduced workforce. What would be the worst case scenario if we just went ahead to efile with SSN and the ITIN gets associated with the paper return? Rejected as duplicate? Flagged as fraud? 

 

I contacted IRS but they couldn't give me a confident answer. Just to wait for ITIN. Easy for them to say when they are not waiting on a sizable return and job stability is looking shaky. 

Thanks to everyone on this forum, you all are lifesavers. 

 

[Just Paul 4,595]

self delete

Edited June 11, 2020 by Paul & Mary

[Wuozopo 4,293]

12 hours ago, potatotoe said:

I am wondering if I can use the SSN to efile instead of waiting for them to process an ITIN # and then submit the return for processing. Normally this takes a long time, much less covid time. 

That’s what I would do. If the efile is accepted before the paper file gets processed, then the paper file will be rejected because your SSN will already be on record as filing. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the ITIN. 

[mvasantos 67]

Hi! I was through the same process as you're. I got my ITIN and it says on the back of the letter if you have a SSN you should use the SSN instead of the ITIN.  The problem is that the tax return has been filed with the ITIN already, also it says on the back of the ITIN letter "when you receve your SSN, please send is a copy of this notice, along with a copy of your SS card, so we can update our record, Send these documents to the address listed at the top of this notice."

 

The advantage of using the SSN is that you guys would be eligible for the stimulus check if you haven't gotten that yet.

[potatotoe 0]

Thank you guys! I took all your advice and tried to efile but return was rejected: "The IRS is rejecting your return because your spouse's last name or Social Security number doesn't match the IRS records."

 

Called up SSA to confirm all the info is correct so at this point, it is not meant to be. Paper filing it is. 

 

@mvsantos, glad to hear you got your ITIN #, at least something is working! 

 

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Ayrton 965]

44 minutes ago, potatotoe said:

Thank you guys! I took all your advice and tried to efile but return was rejected: "The IRS is rejecting your return because your spouse's last name or Social Security number doesn't match the IRS records."

 

Called up SSA to confirm all the info is correct so at this point, it is not meant to be. Paper filing it is. 

 

@mvsantos, glad to hear you got your ITIN #, at least something is working! 

 

Thanks for all the replies!

 

E-file verifies the SSN by the first 5 letters of the last name. So make sure the last name starts exactly like the last name in the system, no abbreviations.

[potatotoe 0]

49 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

E-file verifies the SSN by the first 5 letters of the last name. So make sure the last name starts exactly like the last name in the system, no abbreviations.

Thanks! Yeah, she has 3 last names so had to verify with SSA the spelling and spacing. Always going to be complicated with the names but at this point, we just have to wait.