|
|
|
|
New Member
|
|
Mar 1, 2012, 05:43 PM
|
|
Tax status - Resident Alien/First year choice
Hello Tax experts,
I need advice on my tax status. Please help.
Background:
I moved to US and started working from 5th July, 2011. I am on L1 visa and I am married. My wife is on L2 and is attending college.
Now, for tax purposes I am not a resident alien since I do not meet substantial presence test. It requires 183 days of presence, but I have 180.
First Year Choice:
I want to choose first year choice. I went through the IRS website: (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p519/ch01.html#en_US_publink1000222164).
After electing first year choice, I will be dual-status alien (non-resident till 4th July and resident from 5th July). IRS also says that a dual-status alien can choose to be resident if certain requirements are met ("You are married to a U.S. Citizen or resident alien at the end of the year" - And, my wife will be resident alien because of first year choice)
1-QUESTION: Is my interpretation correct? Can I file as a resident alien for FULL YEAR?
Filing:
Since I will be a resident alien for full year, I need to report my worldwide income.
2-QUESTION: Since I already paid taxes in my home country, can I claim an exemption? What forms do I need?
I paid tuition fees for my wife?
3-QUESTION: Am I eligible for education credits? Do they apply to first-year choice case?
Thanks!
|
|
|
Senior Tax Expert
|
|
Mar 2, 2012, 12:08 PM
|
|
1) Yes, you can file jointly.
2) Yes, you must declare all world-wide income and claim the Foreign Tax Credit using Form 1116.
3) Yes, you can claim the education credits.
If you need my professional help, please look up my email address in my profile.
|
|
|
New Member
|
|
Mar 4, 2012, 04:43 PM
|
|
AtlantaTaxExpert,
Thanks for your expert advice. I get a better understanding now.
|
|
|
Senior Tax Expert
|
|
Mar 5, 2012, 09:15 AM
|
|
Glad to help!
|
|
|
New Member
|
|
Mar 15, 2012, 01:54 PM
|
|
From pub 519:
"Choosing Resident Alien Status
If you are a dual-status alien, you can choose to be treated as a U.S. resident for the entire year if all of the following apply.
You were a nonresident alien at the beginning of the year.
You are a resident alien or U.S. citizen at the end of the year.
You are married to a U.S. citizen or resident alien at the end of the year.
Your spouse joins you in making the choice.
This includes situations in which both you and your spouse were nonresident aliens at the beginning of the tax year and both of you are resident aliens at the end of the tax year"
If I and my wife both are dual status aliens for both 2011 and want to choose "Resident Alien Status" for entire year, do we have to file file as "Married filing Jointly" or can we file as separately...
From the above text in 519, I understand that in order to get Resident Alien status, we both must make that choice ( "Your spouse joins you in making the choice"... ) But it does not say that we have to file jointly...
Though we are dual-status, we would prefer to file as Resident Alien... because we don't have much foreign income and it is simpler
|
|
|
Senior Tax Expert
|
|
Mar 15, 2012, 02:04 PM
|
|
Yes, you MUST file jointly. It may not be explicitly stated, but it IS a requirement.
|
|
|
New Member
|
|
Mar 15, 2012, 02:17 PM
|
|
Thank You!
|
|
|
Senior Tax Expert
|
|
Mar 16, 2012, 11:24 AM
|
|
Glad to help!
|
|
Question Tools |
Search this Question |
|
|
Add your answer here.
Check out some similar questions!
Dual status resident or first year choice as resident alien
[ 3 Answers ]
I came to USA with F-1 visa on 8/15/2004 and graduated for my master degree in May 2008. Then I worked in my OPT for about a year and transferred my visa to H-1B on 10/1/2009. It seems like I am dual status aliens in 2009, and not meet the substance presence test--only 139days in 2009. If I file as...
Dual-status alien or alien resident income tax return
[ 1 Answers ]
Hello,
I am getting ready to prepare our 2009 tax returns and am not sure what to do. I am a US citizen. My husband is a permanent resident. He arrived in the US from Italy in February 2009 on a K-1 visa. We married in March and he got his green card in July 2009. My husband worked in Italy...
First Year Choice - When will I become a Resident Alien?
[ 3 Answers ]
Hi,
I would really appreciate your answers to a couple of my questions.
Here is my background with regards to my visa status and presence in the United States:
Aug 2006 to Feb 2008 - F1 Student
Jun 2008 to Sep 2008 - F1 student working on OPT
Oct 1st 2008 to Current - I am on H1 visa
View more questions
Search
|