International Taxes Question

omnibuswill · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

towards the end of 2007, I married to a European citizen. i learned on
the telephone today at the lovely IRS that we have a variety of "Tax
options." my husband is currently awaiting his Green Card (aka does
not yet have an official social security number.) I tried to file my
2007 taxes, but cannot because my spouse doesn't have a SSN. i was
advised that i had the following options:

1. file single for tax purposes
2. file separately and he can file as soon as he gets his SSN
3. file jointly and consider him a dependent
4. file jointly and consider him someone with "substantial presence"
in the US
5. file jointly and file an extension until he gets his SSN and file
then

the situation of 2007:
my husband is self-employed in the UK.
what are the ramifications of any of the above permutations?

Thank you!

Archived from group: misc>taxes

D. Stussy · Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 126

"omnibuswill" wrote in message@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> towards the end of 2007, I married to a European citizen. i learned on
> the telephone today at the lovely IRS that we have a variety of "Tax
> options." my husband is currently awaiting his Green Card (aka does
> not yet have an official social security number.) I tried to file my
> 2007 taxes, but cannot because my spouse doesn't have a SSN. i was
> advised that i had the following options:
>
> 1. file single for tax purposes

You can't do that. Since you're married, that's fraud.

> 2. file separately and he can file as soon as he gets his SSN

Also a problem. MFS filers have to specify the spouse SSN.

> 3. file jointly and consider him a dependent

Your spouse is NOT a dependent - especially on a JOINT return. You still
need his SSN.

> 4. file jointly and consider him someone with "substantial presence"
> in the US

I don't know what you mean by that. There is no such tax status.

> 5. file jointly and file an extension until he gets his SSN and file
> then

You can file for an extension, but he cannot.

> the situation of 2007:
> my husband is self-employed in the UK.
> what are the ramifications of any of the above permutations?

You have to wait until his number is issued.