According to IRS regulations, as a F1 Visa holder, she is exempt from US Social Security and Medicare taxes for a five-year period upon entering into the US. Since she hasn't meet that five year exemption period, she doesn't meet the Substantial Presence Test requirements to file as a resident. This is because the days that she is present in the US don't count while she is still an exempt student. To file jointly.
- Prepare your return in TurboTax.
- When you get to the Let’s get ready to e-file screen, select File by Mail.
- Attach a statement to your return, signed by each of you that states that one of you is a U.S. citizen and the other is a nonresident alien and that you’re electing to both be treated as U.S. residents for tax purposes. Include the full name, address and Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) of each spouse. This won’t affect the immigration status of the nonresident alien.
- Mail the return to the address on the instruction sheet that prints with the return.
To report her 1042-S, go to:
- Open your return in TurboTax
- Click on Wages & Income
- Scroll down to All Income
- Scroll down to Less Common Income
- Scroll down to Miscellaneous Income, 1099-A, 1099-C
- Click start
- Scroll down to Other reportable income
- Answer yes
- Enter form 1042-S as a description and amount. In the description, make sure you mention it is your wife's income.
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