Hello Atlanta tax expert

I am on H1B visa and I got married to my wife in June 2009. She arrived to US in August 2009 on H4 visa. Can you tell me for how many months can I claim 2 deductions in my tax return. I would really appreciate a response. Thanks.

You can file jointly with your wife and you BOTH choose to be treated as resident aliens for all of 2009. The IRS considers you married for the ENTIRE year if you were married on 31 December 2009.

The only downside is that you BOTH must declare ALL world-wide income on the tax return, but that can be at least partially offset by claiming the Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116).