My parents are foreigners but the turbotax requires that i enter their SSN. How do i get past this?

[DoninGA]

Any dependent being claimed on a US tax return must have a US Social Security number or an ITIN issued by the IRS.

If they have neither then you cannot claim them as dependents.

[joshsshan]

They are not dependents. I am an Independent but also under 24 years of age so turbotax requires that I enter their information. Do I need to submit a written application instead of an E-file?

[DoninGA]

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@joshsshan wrote:

They are not dependents. I am an Independent but also under 24 years of age so turbotax requires that I enter their information. Do I need to submit a written application instead of an E-file?

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If you are a US resident or US citizen under the age of 24 and have unearned income, interest, dividends or capital gains, of more than $2,200 and you were a full time student with earned income that did not provide over one-half of your own support then the Form 8615 is required.

Since your parent's are foreign nationals how you complete the SSN section is an issue.

Let me page one of our experts who may know the answer.  @pk Do you have any insight on how to complete a Form 8615 when the parents are foreign nationals without a SSN or ITIN?

[pk]

@joshsshan , agreeing with  all the  statements by @DoninGA  and  thinking that we do not have enough information here to really  take a position ---- (a) are you  US citizen/Resident/Resident for tax purposes; (b) are  you a student or a wage earner or what ; (c)  are your parents  ( Non-Resident Alien ) US person for tax purposes i.e. they have earnings from US sources ; (d) your Non-Earned /passive earnings  are from  what--  from your parent's investment or  what;  (e) and if so, are they  filing a US tax return or just in their  resident/home country; (f) which country are we talking about ?

We need all of this  because  form 8615 is really for  US under age or students under 24 where the parents are also US persons.  Answers to the above questions  will help determine this.

And if you are foreign student here in the USA then we need to be sure that you are  eligible to file form 1040   ( we will need to know when you entered USA, which visa etc. etc,

[joshsshan]

a) I am a US citizen

b)I was a university student until May 2020

c) Live in South Korea right now and do not pay US taxes

d) Most of my earnings are from the Unemployment grant

e)Just foreign taxes

f)South Korea

[ReneeM7122]

If your parents are filing their own return, they would need to use Sprintax, which is a partner software that handles nonresident federal tax returns.

@joshsshan

[pk]

@joshsshan , noting that you are US citizen, living in Korea now and that your  income is really from "unemployment grant" and assuming that the grant is from Korea sources,  your   filing requirement for the USA  is  on your world income and if that is less than  the  sum of  (a) personal exemption ( zero currently) and (b) standard deduction ( currently US$12,000  for a single), there is  really not much benefit filing a return -- except for getting the  economic stimulus .  So I am at a loss why you were  asking about  the form 8615 and  your parents being  NRA -- what am I missing here.

Please correct me --pk

[zeshi97]

Hello. I was using TurboTax to file capital gain tax but encountered the same problems.

My info:

1. Non-U.S. Citizen but I am considered U.S. Resident Alien for tax purposes since I have been here for more than 6 years. I currently reside in the U.S.

2. Parents are foreign nationals and do not live in the U.S.

3. My capital gains including interests, dividends, gains on stocks have exceeded $2200

4. Recent U.S. college graduate, currently 23 years old.

Do I still need to file Form 8615 even if my parents are foreign nationals and do not have SSN? 

I think I am qualified for tax treaty exemption. Can I still file this exemption?

Thank you!

[DaveF1006]

It depends. First of all, you would not file a 8615 unless you are filing as a dependent on your parent's return. If they are a dependent on your return, you would not file a 8615.

Secondly regarding exempt status, did you have a a student visa? If so what kind and is it still active? If not, when did it expire?

[pk]

@zeshi97 ,  adding to @DaveF1006  answer to your post :

(a) when did you enter this country  ( 2015 ?? ) and with what visa ( F-1? );

(b) what visa are you now under  ( F-1/OPT or H-1B or ?? )

(c) if there was an adjustment to your status, when did that take place;

(d)   you seem to suggest that while filing with Sprintax  you "still" filed form 8615 -- why

(e) which country are you from

(f) are you married and if so  to whom ( US citizen/ US resident/ US resident for tax purposes or  Non-Resident Alien)

(g) these incomes ( stocks sales/interest/dividend  ) are  through US brokerage  / financial institution or foreign stocks/ banks etc

(h) Do your parents  have any income from the USA sources  or is it that it is their  US sourced  income that is coming to you as nominee or what ?

pk