Until this year, I have been a Non-Resident and I was filing my tax return while my wife does not have SSN or ITIN. This year, first time, I am filing as a resident for tax purposes and my wife is a J-2 visa holder who does not have SSN or ITIN. How should I file my tax return for year 2016?
Here is some information that should help. You may have to take some additional steps to be able to e-file.
You might need to apply for an ITIN for him. Per IRS, if your spouse is a nonresident alien, he must have either an SSN or ITIN if :
1. You file a joint return or
2. You file a separate return and claim an exemption for your spouse, or
3. Your spouse is filing a separate return.
For filing status, you can file either Married Filing Jointly ( see Nonresident to resident ) or simply Married Filing Separate.
[In the TurboTax program, you would follow the step-by-step interview questions to choose the appropriate filing status, enter your spouse information and leave the SSN blank, after print out the return , you can leave it blank or hand-write APPLIED in the space.]
If you want to file Married Filing Separate, you can qualify for an exemption for your spouse only if:
- Your spouse had no gross income.
-- Your spouse won't file a tax return.
- Your spouse didn't qualify as the dependent of another taxpayer.
Additionally,
you cannot e-file a tax return which does not include a SSN or ITIN.
If you fall under one of the above conditions, you will have to
manually apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ITIN on
Form W-7 for him.
See https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITIN-Information.
Although you cannot e-file, you can still use the TurboTax program to prepare your tax return and required forms. Then print, attach to the Form W-7 with the required documentation (see the above link) and submit everything to the IRS Austin location in Texas by mail.
Here is some information that should help. You may have to take some additional steps to be able to e-file.
You might need to apply for an ITIN for him. Per IRS, if your spouse is a nonresident alien, he must have either an SSN or ITIN if :
1. You file a joint return or
2. You file a separate return and claim an exemption for your spouse, or
3. Your spouse is filing a separate return.
For filing status, you can file either Married Filing Jointly ( see Nonresident to resident ) or simply Married Filing Separate.
[In the TurboTax program, you would follow the step-by-step interview questions to choose the appropriate filing status, enter your spouse information and leave the SSN blank, after print out the return , you can leave it blank or hand-write APPLIED in the space.]
If you want to file Married Filing Separate, you can qualify for an exemption for your spouse only if:
- Your spouse had no gross income.
-- Your spouse won't file a tax return.
- Your spouse didn't qualify as the dependent of another taxpayer.
Additionally,
you cannot e-file a tax return which does not include a SSN or ITIN.
If you fall under one of the above conditions, you will have to
manually apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ITIN on
Form W-7 for him.
See https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITIN-Information.
Although you cannot e-file, you can still use the TurboTax program to prepare your tax return and required forms. Then print, attach to the Form W-7 with the required documentation (see the above link) and submit everything to the IRS Austin location in Texas by mail.
The above answer says = "Although you cannot e-file, you can still use the TurboTax program to prepare your tax return and required forms. Then print, attach to the Form W-7 with the required documentation (see the above link) and submit everything to the IRS Austin location in Texas by mail. "
But the current TurboTax program doesnt allow me to move to health insurance section. It redirects me back to my info section to fill my wife's ITIN/SSN which i need to apply for. Please help.
Contact support then can remove the lock for the ITIN number
To contact Customer Support please click the link below.
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/
For information on how to obtain an ITIN please click the link below.
How do I get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ...
Did it work for you? Did you end up contacting customer support?
@Claudio111793 if you don't have an ITIN / SSN, just place a dummy SSN in the field in Turbo Tax. Once you print the final forms, black out the ITIN on Form 1040; The W-7 needs to be part of the mailed package.