SusanY1
Expert Alumni

Get your taxes done using TurboTax

No, there is no place to claim the financial support sent to family members

You can't claim your spouse or any spousal support - but you CAN file jointly with your NRA spouse.  You don't need an ITIN or SSN to file separately but you do need one or the other to file joint return.  

You can file jointly with your spouse even if the spouse lives in another country.  In the first year that you make the election, you will sign and attach a statement electing to treat your spouse as a resident.  TurboTax will generate this statement after you indicate that your spouse is a nonresident alien and that you wish to file jointly and make this election.  

Filing jointly with your spouse gives you a higher standard deduction lowering your overall tax bill in most cases.  This is the only tax benefit available for supporting your spouse.  

Making this election doesn't have any impact on immigration status but does require that you include any income your spouse may have (that doesn't seem to be an issue here.)  It is also important to note that it is a once in a lifetime election.  You would need to file by mail in the first year and send your return along with Form W-7, the application for an ITIN, along with the required supporting documents to the ITIN processing unit.  The ITIN unit will issue the ITIN, add it to your tax return, and forward your return for processing.  
 

If your child meets the criteria to be a dependent, that is how you reap a tax benefit.  If the child isn't a US national or citizen, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, you can't claim the child or any support for the child.  If I understand the facts correctly here, it doesn't sound like your spouse's child qualifies at this time to be your dependent.  

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