Hi,

My husband moved to Trinidad in September 2008. However, he worked in the U.S. from January 2008 - August 2008 (we resided in the state of Georgia). Me and my daughter was his dependents in 2008. My husband is telling me that we should file separately since I live in the U.S. I did not work at all in 2008 so I disagreed that I could file with no income and claim the child credit as he suggested. I also was told that as long as we are married and resided in the state of Georgia that we must file joint. Please clarify this for me so I can explain this, once again, to my husband. He insists that he will be filing from Trinidad which isn't the proper way to file.

Thank you,


Regina

If your husband is a U.S. person, he must report his worldwide income (including Trinidad income) on his tax return. He can file joint return, and claim dependent child.
Read: Your U.S. Tax Return: U.S. Citizen or Resident with Foreign Income (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/03/us-citizen-or-resident-with-foreign.html)

If your husband is a U.S. person, he must report his worldwide income (including Trinidad income) on his tax return. He can file joint return, and claim dependent child.
Read: Your U.S. Tax Return: U.S. Citizen or Resident with Foreign Income (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/03/us-citizen-or-resident-with-foreign.html)



Thanks for your reply. This has helped me in clarifying this to my husband.