Taxes

[Caitlin Kennedy 67]

Hi all, My husband and I married in March. He just got his work visa a few weeks ago, TBD if he will get a job by end of year. That being said, is there anything he needs for when we file joint taxes in April 2021? Say from the UK government, etc? Does he need a record of how much he earned in 2019 in England or anything like that?

Edited October 18, 2020 by Caitlin Kennedy

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, Caitlin Kennedy said:

Hi all, My husband and I married in March. He just got his work visa a few weeks ago, TBD if he will get a job by end of year. That being said, is there anything he needs for when we file joint taxes in April 2021? Say from the UK government, etc? Does he need a record of how much he earned in 2019 in England or anything like that?

Your taxes will cover the calendar year 2020. If he worked in the UK between 1-1-2020 and 3-3-2020 (POE) he needs to know how much he got paid during that time. No documentation of it is required. It is self-reported on the tax return. It’s gross income converted to US dollars at the conversion rate at the time (1st quarter of 2020.) That amount is reported as wages, but then the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can be used so he isn’t taxed on it. If he earned any interest or dividends any time in 2020, those are reported just like yours are and are subject to tax. 
 

it would be wise to have something for your records (like payslips or bank deposit statement) just to know where you came up with the amounts, but you do not send any of that to the IRS. I quite frankly made up something that was as close as I could guess because I had nothing. 
 

if he had more that $10,000 in a foreign bank(s) at any time during 2020, he files a report (separate from tax filing) that asks for highest balance during the year, name and address of bank, account number. Even if he closed the account, he reports the highest balance during 2020. There is no tax. It is a report filed online. Google FBAR. Less than $10k, then no report. Also, no proof is submitted.

[Caitlin Kennedy 67]

7 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Your taxes will cover the calendar year 2020. If he worked in the UK between 1-1-2020 and 3-3-2020 (POE) he needs to know how much he got paid during that time. No documentation of it is required. It is self-reported on the tax return. It’s gross income converted to US dollars at the conversion rate at the time (1st quarter of 2020.) That amount is reported as wages, but then the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can be used so he isn’t taxed on it. If he earned any interest or dividends any time in 2020, those are reported just like yours are and are subject to tax. 
 

it would be wise to have something for your records (like payslips or bank deposit statement) just to know where you came up with the amounts, but you do not send any of that to the IRS. I quite frankly made up something that was as close as I could guess because I had nothing. 
 

if he had more that $10,000 in a foreign bank(s) at any time during 2020, he files a report (separate from tax filing) that asks for highest balance during the year, name and address of bank, account number. Even if he closed the account, he reports the highest balance during 2020. There is no tax. It is a report filed online. Google FBAR. Less than $10k, then no report. Also, no proof is submitted.

Thank you. He did not work during that time in the UK as he was prepping to move here, so there is nothing he needs to add to our joint taxes filed?

[Wuozopo 4,293]

30 minutes ago, Caitlin Kennedy said:

Thank you. He did not work during that time in the UK as he was prepping to move here, so there is nothing he needs to add to our joint taxes filed?

His name, SSN, and signature. 😛

He will also qualify for the $1200 economic stimulus. You probably got yours already. It will be added to any refund you are due instead of being a separate payment.

[Caitlin Kennedy 67]

13 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

His name, SSN, and signature. 😛

He will also qualify for the $1200 economic stimulus. You probably got yours already. It will be added to any refund you are due instead of being a separate payment.

Thank you for that information. Yes I did; He qualifies because he is married to me, though not a citizen or has his green card yet? Is it possible to just get the check now, instead?

[Wuozopo 4,293]

3 hours ago, Caitlin Kennedy said:

Is it possible to just get the check now, instead?

It will be based on your 2020 joint tax return when you file. He wasn’t on your 2019 so didn’t qualify for the early payment you got.. 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Wuozopo