COVID Relief Package - Help Please With What We Can Claim For? (2020 entry)

[Cilllah 470]

Hello everyone! US taxes are confusing to me as an Australian so I am hoping to come here and find someone with more knowledge who can set me on the right path.
Myself (married to US citizen and hold a GC) and my daughter (3 and holds a GC) entered the US on July 14th, 2020. I am filing jointly with my husband and we will be claiming my daughter when we do our tax - soon.

But I want to know. Am I eligible for the stimulus as I wasn't here for half of the year? I would have to claim to be resident for the whole of 2020 correct? I only received my GC this year. I did earn some money in Australia before I came and I just don't want that to put us out. Only like 7k USD. Would I have to put my Australian child support on the US tax reports?

 

As for my daughter, is she eligible for the $300 monthly from the COVID package? Do I have to do anything for her other than claim her on the taxes we will be filing soon. Is she eligible for a COVID stimulus as well and is there any requirement for that?

Sorry for all of the questions,

 

Thank you!

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, Cilllah said:

As for my daughter, is she eligible for the $300 monthly from the COVID package? Do I have to do anything for her other than claim her on the taxes we will be filing soon. Is she eligible for a COVID stimulus as well and is there any requirement for that?

Were you able to get SSN appointment for her?

[Cilllah 470]

Just now, HRQX said:

Were you able to get SSN appointment for her?

Yeah SSN is sorted so that's not a worry!

[Ayrton 965]

4 hours ago, Cilllah said:

Hello everyone! US taxes are confusing to me as an Australian so I am hoping to come here and find someone with more knowledge who can set me on the right path.
Myself (married to US citizen and hold a GC) and my daughter (3 and holds a GC) entered the US on July 14th, 2020. I am filing jointly with my husband and we will be claiming my daughter when we do our tax - soon.

But I want to know. Am I eligible for the stimulus as I wasn't here for half of the year? I would have to claim to be resident for the whole of 2020 correct? I only received my GC this year. I did earn some money in Australia before I came and I just don't want that to put us out. Only like 7k USD. Would I have to put my Australian child support on the US tax reports?

 

As for my daughter, is she eligible for the $300 monthly from the COVID package? Do I have to do anything for her other than claim her on the taxes we will be filing soon. Is she eligible for a COVID stimulus as well and is there any requirement for that?

Sorry for all of the questions,

 

Thank you!

In order to file jointly, you must be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year. So by considering yourself a resident for the whole year and by having a SSN you automatically qualify for the stimulus money, if the combined income in 2020 was lower than 150k.

 

To be considered a resident for the whole year, you need to either pass the presence test or write a statement asking to be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year.

 

And since you're a resident for tax purposes, you must declare all worldwide income. This income might be exempted by using 2555 form.

[Cilllah 470]

54 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

In order to file jointly, you must be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year. So by considering yourself a resident for the whole year and by having a SSN you automatically qualify for the stimulus money, if the combined income in 2020 was lower than 150k.

 

To be considered a resident for the whole year, you need to either pass the presence test or write a statement asking to be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year.

 

And since you're a resident for tax purposes, you must declare all worldwide income. This income might be exempted by using 2555 form.

Thanks! Is there a specific document for the statement or just something I can write myself? Do I have to write one for my daughter as well so she can be eligible for the payments and the new monthly child payment?

I assume all worldwide income includes child support so will do. Thank you!

[HRQX 4,145]

6 minutes ago, Cilllah said:

Thanks! Is there a specific document for the statement or just something I can write myself?

You write it yourself: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse

How to Make the Choice

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information:

1. A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of the tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year
2. The name, address, and identification number of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.)

[Cilllah 470]

3 minutes ago, HRQX said:

You write it yourself: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse

How to Make the Choice

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information:

1. A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of the tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year
2. The name, address, and identification number of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.)

Thank you!

[HRQX 4,145]

On 3/10/2021 at 1:34 PM, Cilllah said:

Yeah SSN is sorted so that's not a worry!

Just curious. Did you sort it out with SSA or did you have to contact a congressional representative?

[Nitas_man 3,100]

On 3/10/2021 at 7:57 PM, Cilllah said:

Thanks! Is there a specific document for the statement or just something I can write myself? Do I have to write one for my daughter as well so she can be eligible for the payments and the new monthly child payment?

I assume all worldwide income includes child support so will do. Thank you!

Um child support isn’t income

 

Declare your Aussie income then exempt it as foreign earned under bonafide resident (of Australia) 
 

Use turbotax.  It will sort it all out.  

[Cilllah 470]

On 3/14/2021 at 1:39 AM, Nitas_man said:

Um child support isn’t income

 

Declare your Aussie income then exempt it as foreign earned under bonafide resident (of Australia) 
 

Use turbotax.  It will sort it all out.  

Can I use Turbotax and attach my letter saying that I want to be resident for the whole of last year?

[Cilllah 470]

On 3/12/2021 at 1:30 AM, HRQX said:

Just curious. Did you sort it out with SSA or did you have to contact a congressional representative?

With the SSA!

[Nitas_man 3,100]

2 hours ago, Cilllah said:

Can I use Turbotax and attach my letter saying that I want to be resident for the whole of last year?

Turbotax will prepare an accurate return.  Unless things have changed you check “file by mail”, print the return, attach the letter choosing to be “resident for tax purposes”, and mail the whole thing in.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

14 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

Turbotax will prepare an accurate return.  

You were not a non-resident alien at the end of the tax year.  This letter and the earlier instructions posted do not apply to you.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

On 3/10/2021 at 7:01 PM, Ayrton said:

In order to file jointly, you must be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year. So by considering yourself a resident for the whole year and by having a SSN you automatically qualify for the stimulus money, if the combined income in 2020 was lower than 150k.

 

To be considered a resident for the whole year, you need to either pass the presence test or write a statement asking to be considered a resident for tax purposes for the whole year.

 

And since you're a resident for tax purposes, you must declare all worldwide income. This income might be exempted by using 2555 form.

OP is a resident for tax purposes anyway.  
This is a simple joint return with foreign earned income exclusion for the part of the year OP was out of the country.
 

[HRQX 4,145]

16 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

OP is a resident for tax purposes anyway.

Not for 2020 tax year. OP entered the US on July 14 so doesn't meet physical presence test for that year. OP's I-485 was not approved until 2021 so also didn't meet green card test for 2020. Thus why OP is a nonresident spouse electing to be treated as a resident for 2020: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse