Got a joint sponsor (merged)

[Fidel 21]

I need yall opinion on this. I got an email from Lagos consulate that I need a joint sponsor despite the fact that my wife makes 52000$,43000$ and 32000$ consecutively in 2017,18 and 19. And also own a house with equity value of 80000$ when I went for my interview last two month the officer told me that everything is OK but I will need to submit my wifė current tax transcripts which is 2019 transcripts. My wife is on SSA which she makes 21000$ per annum but in 2019 her SSA was not included in her tax transcripts because she didn't make enough for the irs to tax from her SSA thereby the only income that show on her transcript is just 12000$... Mere looking at her 2019 tax transcripts you will think she only makes 12000$  because her SSA benefit was not included on the transcript because Is not taxable.. Could this be the reason why the consulate ask for joint sponsor?  Going further we contact our immigration attorney and got to know that the document he submitted from the appraiser is unclear.... Could this be reason for asking joint sponsor? I believe owning a house and making 32000$ for just a household is enough to sponsor a spouse.. Is hard to get a joint sponsor now due to COVID. We are just thinking of getting everything together and resend to Lagos consulate for reviewing.. Please your opinion is needed here thanks 

Edited February 23, 2021 by Penguin_ie

[Fidel 21]

23 minutes ago, Fidel said:

I need yall opinion on this. I got an email from Lagos consulate that I need a joint sponsor despite the fact that my wife makes 52000$,43000$ and 32000$ consecutively in 2017,18 and 19. And also own a house with equity value of 80000$ when I went for my interview last two month the officer told me that everything is OK but I will need to submit my wifė current tax transcripts which is 2019 transcripts. My wife is on SSA which she makes 21000$ per annum but in 2019 her SSA was not included in her tax transcripts because she didn't make enough for the irs to tax from her SSA thereby the only income that show on her transcript is just 12000$... Mere looking at her 2019 tax transcripts you will think she only makes 12000$  because her SSA benefit was not included on the transcript because Is not taxable.. Could this be the reason why the consulate ask for joint sponsor?  Going further we contact our immigration attorney and got to know that the document he submitted from the appraiser is unclear.... Could this be reason for asking joint sponsor? I believe owning a house and making 32000$ for just a household is enough to sponsor a spouse.. Is hard to get a joint sponsor now due to COVID. We are just thinking of getting everything together and resend to Lagos consulate for reviewing.. Please your opinion is needed here thanks 

I submitted both her 2019 transcripts and her SSA benefit statement to Lagos consulate two months ago

[Hilde 381]

3 hours ago, Fidel said:

I need yall opinion on this. I got an email from Lagos consulate that I need a joint sponsor despite the fact that my wife makes 52000$,43000$ and 32000$ consecutively in 2017,18 and 19. And also own a house with equity value of 80000$ when I went for my interview last two month the officer told me that everything is OK but I will need to submit my wifė current tax transcripts which is 2019 transcripts. My wife is on SSA which she makes 21000$ per annum but in 2019 her SSA was not included in her tax transcripts because she didn't make enough for the irs to tax from her SSA thereby the only income that show on her transcript is just 12000$... Mere looking at her 2019 tax transcripts you will think she only makes 12000$  because her SSA benefit was not included on the transcript because Is not taxable.. Could this be the reason why the consulate ask for joint sponsor?  Going further we contact our immigration attorney and got to know that the document he submitted from the appraiser is unclear.... Could this be reason for asking joint sponsor? I believe owning a house and making 32000$ for just a household is enough to sponsor a spouse.. Is hard to get a joint sponsor now due to COVID. We are just thinking of getting everything together and resend to Lagos consulate for reviewing.. Please your opinion is needed here thanks 

I am no expert, but I don't believe the house you live in counts... bc you need a place to live and this property can't easily be converted into cash - in the case of an emergency. So I think they might be strictly looking into how much she makes yearly - and if it isn't AT LEAST 125% above poverty, they will suggest a joint sponsor.

 

Curious to read the opinion of others here.

[Fidel 21]

1 hour ago, Hilde said:

I am no expert, but I don't believe the house you live in counts... bc you need a place to live and this property can't easily be converted into cash - in the case of an emergency. So I think they might be strictly looking into how much she makes yearly - and if it isn't AT LEAST 125% above poverty, they will suggest a joint sponsor.

 

Curious to read the opinion of others here.

She makes 32000$ in 2019 which is more than the required income 

[Hilde 381]

11 minutes ago, Fidel said:

She makes 32000$ in 2019 which is more than the required income 

But on the transcript it shows 12000? I'm pretty sure they go by what is reported the official IRS document.

[Fidel 21]

12 minutes ago, Hilde said:

But on the transcript it shows 12000? I'm pretty sure they go by what is reported the official IRS document.

I thought as much and this is my fear but I submitter tax transcripts along with her SSA benefits to show that she still make 21000$ which is not included on the transcript because Is not taxable 

[Hilde 381]

4 minutes ago, Fidel said:

I thought as much and this is my fear but I submitter tax transcripts along with her SSA benefits to show that she still make 21000$ which is not included on the transcript because Is not taxable 

@Paul & Mary has endless knowledge on anything to do with taxes... hope he sees this!

[Fidel 21]

9 minutes ago, Hilde said:

@Paul & Mary has endless knowledge on anything to do with taxes... hope he sees this!

OK I hope he see this and she'd more light on it 

[JFH 12,189]

Another concern is that her income appears to be on a steady decline. 

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports” to “process and procedures”*~*~*

[Hilde 381]

54 minutes ago, JFH said:

Another concern is that her income appears to be on a steady decline. 

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports” to “process and procedures”*~*~*

From personal experience, this may not be the case. Her income could be steady - or even increased. But if the country's national currency has lost value compared to the US Dollar, it may appear that she is earning less...

My 2015 taxes I earned >80K. I have gotten a raise since then. Currently, I earn <40K. This is because the conversion from Brazil Real to US dollar has significantly lost value since 2015.

[JFH 12,189]

Just now, Hilde said:

From personal experience, this may not be the case. Her income could be steady - or even increased. But if the country's national currency has lost value compared to the US Dollar, it may appear that she is earning less...

My 2015 taxes I earned >80K. I have gotten a raise since then. Currently, I earn <40K. This is because the conversion from Brazil Real to US dollar has significantly lost value since 2015.

We are talking about the sponsor’s income. The sponsor is in the US. Per the OP, the sponsor’s income pattern is as follows:

 

2017 $52k

2018 $43k

2019 $32k

 

And is now in receipt of SSA payments, suggesting either disability or retirement (so income potential is now even more reduced). 
 

I am not surprised that the embassy is concerned that the sponsor’s income is dropping by around $10k a year. 

 

[Just Paul 4,591]

1 hour ago, Fidel said:

I thought as much and this is my fear but I submitter tax transcripts along with her SSA benefits to show that she still make 21000$ which is not included on the transcript because Is not taxable 

tax transcripts don't always equate to total earnings.  SSA and other income is not taxable and won't show up on a tax transcript.    Include proof of the other (not taxable) income.   In the past I have created a summary spreadsheet for 3 for sponsors that didn't have transcripts that supported income.

[Fidel 21]

1 hour ago, JFH said:

We are talking about the sponsor’s income. The sponsor is in the US. Per the OP, the sponsor’s income pattern is as follows:

 

2017 $52k

2018 $43k

2019 $32k

 

And is now in receipt of SSA payments, suggesting either disability or retirement (so income potential is now even more reduced). 
 

I am not surprised that the embassy is concerned that the sponsor’s income is dropping by around $10k a year. 

 

She has always be getting benefits since 2014 not just now 

[Fidel 21]

1 hour ago, Paul & Mary said:

tax transcripts don't always equate to total earnings.  SSA and other income is not taxable and won't show up on a tax transcript.    Include proof of the other (not taxable) income.   In the past I have created a summary spreadsheet for 3 for sponsors that didn't have transcripts that supported income.

I submitted her SSA statement which show 21000$ and her transcript totalling 31000$ 

[Fidel 21]

1 hour ago, Paul & Mary said:

tax transcripts don't always equate to total earnings.  SSA and other income is not taxable and won't show up on a tax transcript.    Include proof of the other (not taxable) income.   In the past I have created a summary spreadsheet for 3 for sponsors that didn't have transcripts that supported income.

What do you suggest we do next @Paul & Mary