Mothers GC Renewal , Only 1/3 Year Tax Dependancy

[beemme 2]

I m helping my mother with her green card renewal. One of the questions on the form asks about filing taxes for the last 3 years. She has only filed once because she lived outside the U.S. for more than 6 months during two of those years, and I only claimed her as a dependent in one of the 3 years. However, she has been physically present in the U.S. for at least 3 out of the last 5 years. How should I answer the tax filing question, and will this affect her renewal application?

[appleblossom 4,017]

**Thread moved to Taxes & Finances sub forum, as it's not an AOS related issue.**

 

You just need to give the reason she didn't have to file taxes. Being outside the US isn't relevant as LPR's (and USC's) must file taxes no matter where they live if they are required to, so just give whatever reason she didn't file i.e. earnings were too low.  

[Crazy Cat 43,906]

8 minutes ago, beemme said:

because she lived outside the U.S. for more than 6 months during two of those years, and I only claimed her as a dependent in one of the 3 years

All US citizens and Green Card holders must report world-wide income regardless of where they reside and regardless of where the income was generated....assuming the income was above the threshold for reporting.

Edited May 12 by Crazy Cat

[beemme 2]

Quote

You just need to give the reason she didn't have to file taxes. Being outside the US isn't relevant as LPR's (and USC's) must file taxes no matter where they live if they are required to, so just give whatever reason she didn't file i.e. earnings were too low.  

She never earned to file taxes under her name, I claimed her as a dependent when she lives 6+ months with me, that is the reason. Should I just say that?

[Crazy Cat 43,906]

4 minutes ago, beemme said:

She never earned to file taxes under her name, I claimed her as a dependent when she lives 6+ months with me, that is the reason. Should I just say that?

Did she earn income at all? Anywhere in the world?

Edited May 12 by Crazy Cat

[beemme 2]

She did in India , pension from my dads job and it was not enough to file over there

[K1visaHopeful 2,987]

10 hours ago, beemme said:

She did in India , pension from my dads job and it was not enough to file over there

Because she must report world wide income in the US as a GCH, whether she needed to file in India is irrelevant. Was it enough income to file HERE?

[beemme 2]

No, not enf to file taxes here in the US