Amend a tax return to change filing status with Form w-7

[ajm2281]

Hello,

I have already previously filed Married filing Separately, which already got approved. Just to make sure I'm prepared before moving forward with amending my return and filing Married filing Jointly.  

I recently got back from the Philippines in July. My wife and I, filled out Form W-7 and she signed the form.

One month prior, she got a Certified Copy Of Passport.  

Does it sound like I have everything in order?...

   - Amend 2024 tax return

   - Form w-7 signed by my wife

    - and certified copy of passport (my wife's) - this does not require any other supportive documents

(Reminder: My wife is a Filipino citizen and has never been to the United States. I want to make sure I qualify to file on behalf of my wife)

Am I correct?  I checked the boxes for Nonresident Alien and Treat my wife as US resident for the entire tax year (even though we got married November 2024).

I put a  fake SSN for wife, I know I need to apply white out so I can write something in this box. What is it?

My wife's employer does not provide pay stubs, annual statement of wages, 1099, and does not have employer identification number.  Also, my wife gets paid in cash. 

How and Where do I report my wife's wages on TurboTax??? Am I correct to put the wages amount under Miscellaneous Income ---> Other Income to Report?

Thank you, Alan

[pk]

@ajm2281 , sounds like you have everything under control. 

(a)   At the same time it would not hurt  for you to familiarize yourself with the instructions for  form W-7 --> Instructions for Form W-7 (Rev. December 2024).

(b) Note that W-7 is only for the issuance of a tax ID  ( ITIN ) for your wife.

(c) To be able to file as MFJ ( Married Filing Joint ) you both have to sign & date  and include a request for her to be treated as a resident.  I am assuming here that  you are yourself a US person ( citizen/GreenCard/Resident for Tax Purposes ). Please see page 13/14 of Pub 519 --> 2024 Publication 519

(d) Since your wife's world income would now come under US taxes, and since this is foreign source income  ( as I understand that she is  resident in the Philippines and has been so for all of 2024 at least), you would have to enter this  under  "Foreign Earned Income Exclusion" category.  This will walk you through filling out form 2555 --->  See here -->  2024 Instructions for Form 2555.   This will allow exclusion of  her Foreign Earned Income ( up to the maximum  allowed for the  year) from US taxes.

Having said all of the above, I sort of remember having this discussion with someone with very similar / exact circumstances  earlier in the year -- were you the one  or am I in the left field again ( perhaps  due to  longer lasting senior moments ) ?

Is there more I can do for you ?