Hi Everyone,
I am new to this forum so firstly hello from me.
I moved from UK to US on L1A visa (Austin, Texas) on the 1st of April (275 days in 2019) and have spent 225 days in US with 50 days back in the UK. I got my SS card on the 20th April with first pay date on the 5th of May.
I have my family still in the UK with 3 dependent children + a foster Child.
My question is what status do I file my tax return under, can I opt for joint status as my wife doesn't work in the UK but she does get fostering allowance.
I also received a move to US allowance which was paid out in the US (is that a deductible expense?
I am renting a room at the moment in a house and pay all inclusive rent per month.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated and happy to clarify any further questions.
Many Thanks

You can file jointly with your wife, because her physical presence is NOT required to file a joint return. She just has to SIGN the actual return.

Unfortunately, you CANNOT claim any of the children, because they MUST be physically present in the United States.

She will need to submit Form W-7 to apply for an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), a process I can help you with.

Note that if you file jointly, ALL world-wide taxable income for both you and your wife must be declared on the return.

Your wife's income can be excluded using Form 1116.

You can claim a tax credit for UK taxes paid in 2019 using Form 1116.

If you want my professional help, please contact me at [email protected].