Affidavit of support: Joint savings?

[Lucy1982 0]

Hello all.

My spouse (US citizen) and I (British citizen) are to begin the green card process soon. We are both resident in the UK. Regarding the Affidavit of Support, we plan to use my savings as cash assets. We meet the minimum amount required. 

Currently, the savings are in my own bank account, not our joint bank account.

 

1. Should I transfer the savings into our joint bank account, as my spouse is sponsoring me? Or is it fine for the savings to be in my own bank account?

 

2. Since the savings are mine, my spouse’s recent IRS tax return (married filing separately) does not list the savings. If we do transfer the savings into our joint bank account, are we required to list the savings on my spouse’s next tax return?

[Crazy Cat 41,981]

4 minutes ago, Lucy1982 said:

Hello all.

My spouse (US citizen) and I (British citizen) are to begin the green card process soon. We are both resident in the UK. Regarding the Affidavit of Support, we plan to use my savings as cash assets. We meet the minimum amount required. 

Currently, the savings are in my own bank account, not our joint bank account.

 

1. Should I transfer the savings into our joint bank account, as my spouse is sponsoring me? Or is it fine for the savings to be in my own bank account?

 

2. Since the savings are mine, my spouse’s recent IRS tax return (married filing separately) does not list the savings. If we do transfer the savings into our joint bank account, are we required to list the savings on my spouse’s next tax return?

2.  US tax returns do not list savings.  Tax returns list only income...not wealth.

[pushbrk 12,979]

10 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

2.  US tax returns do not list savings.  Tax returns list only income...not wealth.

Correct.  I will add that my recommendation is to leave the savings where they are for now.  Show them as yours, so you can also show some examples of statements going back a year.  This is so they know it has been yours that long, not just a gift from, say, her parents, so they don't have to sign the joint sponsor contract.  Yes, this happens.

 

You do know the minimum amount is 3 times the income requirement.  Right?

[Lucy1982 0]

11 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Correct.  I will add that my recommendation is to leave the savings where they are for now.  Show them as yours, so you can also show some examples of statements going back a year.  This is so they know it has been yours that long, not just a gift from, say, her parents, so they don't have to sign the joint sponsor contract.  Yes, this happens.

 

You do know the minimum amount is 3 times the income requirement.  Right?

Thank you very much for your answers.

Yes, I do know the minimum amount is three times the income requirement. For a household size of two, I do have enough in savings.

 

So, even though I'm the intending immigrant, it’s fine for me to use my own savings? My spouse files I-864 and I file I-864A - is this right?

[Deker1972 25]

5 hours ago, Lucy1982 said:

Thank you very much for your answers.

Yes, I do know the minimum amount is three times the income requirement. For a household size of two, I do have enough in savings.

 

So, even though I'm the intending immigrant, it’s fine for me to use my own savings? My spouse files I-864 and I file I-864A - is this right?

 

I'm in the same situation, I don't think that you need to complete I-864A as I-864 part 7 has sections for the "Assets of the sponsored immigrant" where you can detail your savings and assets.

 

Taken from the instructions for I-864A

 

"If the Intending Immigrant Is a Household Member, Must He or She Complete This Contract? If you are the intending immigrant and the sponsor is including your income on Form I-864 to meet the eligibility requirements, you need to complete this contract only if you have accompanying dependents. If you are the intending immigrant and the sponsor is including only your assets on Form I-864, you do not need to complete this contract, even if you have accompanying dependents."

 

Regards

 

Derek

Edited December 30, 2023 by Deker1972

[pushbrk 12,979]

11 hours ago, Lucy1982 said:

Thank you very much for your answers.

Yes, I do know the minimum amount is three times the income requirement. For a household size of two, I do have enough in savings.

 

So, even though I'm the intending immigrant, it’s fine for me to use my own savings? My spouse files I-864 and I file I-864A - is this right?

It's going to be critical for you to study and become an A-Student of the I-864 instructions, which answer your last question quite well.  I advise against relying on asking questions INSTEAD of using the instructions.  Without studying the instructions, you will never know WHAT you DON'T know, so won't know what to ask.

[Lucy1982 0]

Thank you very much for your answers. I will become an A-Student of the I-864 instructions 🙂