I’m helping with my senior fathers taxes. He is estranged from his wife and lives with me. She won’t give me her birth date or ssn. How do I file?

[timesq1128]

He only has an ssa-1099
He didn’t receive any stimulus payments either.

[SweetieJean]

Your Dad doesn't know her birthday or SSN either?  Can he check an old tax return?  Is he filing Married Separately?  No sure why you would need her DOB for that.  If he lives with you, he might qualify as your dependent.  If so, he is not eligible for stimulus.  Rather, you would receive it.

[timesq1128]

No he can’t remember. He has dementia. In oct 2019 I got a call from him asking if I wanted him. His wife didn’t want him in the home anymore and pretty much abandoned him. I drove 8 hrs to pick him up and he’s been with me ever since. She did their taxes for 2019 as I didn’t receive his 1099. Now, since he has a new state and address, bank acct for direct deposit, etc.

I’m just trying to do the right thing here. I’m confused about if I need to file at all. 
but of course he hasn’t gotten any of the stimulus payments.

[WendyN2]

If they are still married, and she did, in fact, file for 2019, then she would have received the stimulus payments into the same joint account that they've had. Unfortunately, at this point, there isn't much you can do aside from hiring an attorney. I am so sorry that you and your father are dealing with this. You are a very good person for helping out! Definitely file for him! Get him into the system - this way you can find out (without the use and cost of an atty) if she has been filing joint to receive the benefits. There will be a return already on file for him if she has filed and claimed him on her return - or even just simply did MFJ. 

[timesq1128]

Thank you! Filing electronically thru turbo tax doesn’t seem to work as they won’t let me go any further without the wife’s information. Should I file with a paper form?

[JotikaT2]

Yes, go ahead and mail the return in.  If his estranged wife filed using his information, the return will not qualify for electronic filing as his social security number would have already been used.

Printing your return

Please see the following information from the IRS if you believe she is filing a tax return using your dad's social security number.

Reporting suspected tax fraud