SSN for a NRA Spouse

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 4, 2019
3 replies
1 view

I am living abroad with my spouse. He is a Non resident alien to the United States and it will not allow me to go forward without entering his SSN, but he does not have one. What do I need to do?

TurboTax Deluxe Online

DoninGA

Level 15

If you are a US citizen and your spouse does not have a Social Security number or an ITIN and you are not applying for an ITIN with the tax return then you can only file your tax return as Married Filing Separately. Where asked to enter the spouse's Social Security number enter 999-88-9999. You can only print and mail your tax return, it cannot be e-filed. When you print the tax return erase the Social Security number for your spouse and manually enter NRA for non-resident alien.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for the procedure to print and mail a tax return using the online editions - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1944348-how-do-i-print-and-mail-my-return-in-turbotax-online

henryhenriquez

Level 2

How about for NY state returns??? It says i HAVE to e file but if i do the 999-88-9999 will stay there.

tlc24

Level 2

Did anyone get their taxes approved by writing NRA where it says spouse’s SSN?

etphonehomefrance

Level 3

Hello,

The inability to efile a federal return with an NRA spouse who neither has nor requires an SSN or TIN is a limitation (or deficiency) of Turbo Tax software. There is no such limitation with Tax Act's online software, for example, in whose preliminary informational questionnaire there is a specific checkbox for NRA spouses who fall into this category. I've been efiling my federal returns with them from overseas for the last several years for this very reason. Good luck.

Taxmetodeath1

Level 2

If you spouse does not have a Social Security Number SSN or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ITIN, you'll need to apply for one or the other before you can file your return.

If they qualify to get an SSN applying for one is easy. Go to Social Security Online, the administration's website, and search for Form SS-5. This form is the paperwork you need to fill out for a Social Security number.

If they don't qualify for an SSN then you'll need to apply for an ITIN. The IRS issues ITINs to foreign nationals and others who have federal tax reporting or filing requirements but don’t qualify for SSNs.

You can apply for an ITIN at the IRS website by downloading Form W-7.

Once again loads of conflicting information on a seemingly-simple tax topic. My wife and I both reside in Canada. I am a US citizen but she has no ties to the US. For years I have just listed her SSN as "NRA."

It seems that the IRS wants a SSN or ITIN to verify that the spouse or dependent is eligible for some tax benefit. From the 09/20/2019 W7 (ITIN Application) Instructions it appears that she does not need an ITIN:

"ITINs for spouses and dependents who reside outside of the United States. Spouses and dependents residing outside of the United States shouldn’t apply for, or renew, an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) unless they qualify for an allowable tax benefit."

and further...

"For tax years 2018 through 2025, you can’t claim a personal exemption deduction for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents."

In other words, there is no specific benefit for spouses form 2018-2025 so you shouldn't apply for or renew an ITIN. Finally, looking to the 1040 Instructions:

" Check the “Married filing separately” box at the top of Form 1040 or 1040-SR if you are married and file a separate return. Enter your spouse’s name in the entry space below the filing status checkboxes. Be sure to enter your spouse’s SSN or ITIN in the space for spouse’s SSN on Form 1040 or 1040-SR. If your spouse doesn’t have and isn’t required to have an SSN or ITIN, enter “NRA.”

So, it seems that this problem is a TurboTax limitation and that the work around is to enter "NRA" and file by mail as recommended at the top of this thread.

caeli

Level 2

Hi C-G.

Good day! Hope all is well.

Your reply here was very helpful. As well as everyone else's. I would just like to clarify, when you used TaxAct to file your PA state return, since it has to be mailed as you said, did you write down "NRA" manually under your spouse's SSN? I used their system and so far, as you said, for the federal return, it auto populated "NRA" under the same field. But when I printed out the state return, it was left blank.

Hope you can help me on this (although I'm not sure if this is the right platform to ask this.. Just thought we were on the same boat so I went ahead and asked.)

Thank you very much!

etphonehomefrance

Level 3

I'm afraid I have no experience filing state returns with TaxAct, so in this regard I can be of no assistance. I'm only familiar with filing Federal returns with their software. Good luck.