We got married in August of 2006, and I have been sending her money every month ever since. Can I file taxes with her even though she does not have a social security? What the benefits would be?
2007-01-07 03:27:02 · 2 answers · asked by DERMECO 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United States
There's a lot of information you've left out.
What is your immigration status? Are you a resident alien? If so then you should be able to file jointly with your wife even if she is a non-resident alien.
Is she eligible for a social security number? If so, then get her one. If not then you can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN for short) for her by filling out form W-7 and attaching it WITH your tax return and mailing it to the address given on the w-7 instructions along with her supporting documentation. If she has a current passport from her country of origin than that would serve as a stand-alone document. You could either send the original which the IRS will eventually return (hopefully) or send a certified photocopy. So when you file the return you won't actually have the ITIN number but once the W-7 is processed it will get put on your return and then your return will be processed. The whole process will take about 6-8 weeks.
The tax benefit of filing jointly and being able to claim her exemption are many but the main two is that your tax bracket will be lower and you will get $3300 deducted from your adjusted gross income.
Another thing to keep in mind is that she will be required to sign the W-7.
2007-01-07 22:39:11 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Zimmer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to provide more information to a tax professional that is familiar with non-resident taxes. Because your wife does not have a SSN, I assume she is not a US citizen. I think that affects your options. You may be required to file as 'married filing separately'. This is generally the least favorable option.
2007-01-07 12:41:44 · answer #2 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋