Do I need to file a US Tax Return?

You file married filing separately unless you formally elect to file jointly.

We hold joint bank accounts in the US that have been earning interest.  Does that mean he has to file as well?

Thanks!

No - he does not have to file.

He might want to file of course if he is due a refund!

i moved to the uk in may 2006 after our wedding.

i sold my car, cashed in my 401(k) to pay medical bills. i had worked full-time until the end of april 2006.

my parents' tax advisor was supposed to prepare and file for 2006 on my behalf. he never did.

this guy never answers his phone, never responds to my messages--nothing. he still has all of my paperwork in his possession.

when my parents saw him for their 2007 taxes, all he said was that he had filed for an extension on my 2006 taxes.

what can i do? i haven't filed for 2007 yet.

am worried that something could be flagged when i go to the embassy to get dd's birth registered, or when we try to get into the states next time to visit family.

 

Sorry to hear your story...

You can complain  to his State CPA Board if he is a CPA or to any professional associations he is a member of.

At a more practical level get duplicates of the numbers for 2006 and file for 2006 and 2007 now; you can argue reasonable cause if you are penalised...

Niku--you're still well in time to file for 2007. You get an automatic extension until June 15...just write 'tax payer abroad' on the top of your 1040. I assume you would just be filing the foreign income exclusion (2555 EZ) and a 1040, so shouldn't be too complicated. I don't believe there is any rule that you have to submit in order (ie, you can't submit 2007, if you haven't submitted 2006), but I'm no expert, so hopefully if I'm wrong here, someone will correct me.

2006 will be more complicated, because of cashing out the 401K, and all, but as guya says, just request duplicates of your statements, and fill those out. You can find copies of the IRS forms for 2006 on the IRS website (http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=98339,00.html)

Not sure when you are going to the embassy with your daughter, but they do have an IRS branch there, where you can submit your forms (they will stamp them for you, so bring a copy to have stamped for your records), and they can offer some limited advice/help in filling out your taxes. So you might be able to kill 2 birds with one stone there. You can just walk in--don't need a special apointment to visit the IRS office.

I know that it is a requirement to have filed the past 3 years in order to start the US immigration progress, but I have never heard of anyone having any problems registering a birth/obtaining a US passport for a child, or being stopped at the airport for not filing taxes, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

thanks for that info

Before I came to the UK, I called the IRS to find out the answer to that question.  And the answer is yes.  And you should continue to file a tax return as long as you are a citizen of the US.  In other words, you will always need to file an income tax return to the States if you made income in the UK.  There is something that was mentioned about an $87,000 salary threshold, but not certain of the implications.  I asked about how to file--jointly or individually?  If you file jointly, your spouse will have to report his/her income to the US.  In addition, there is a form called Foreign Tax Credit Form, which will need to be completed along with your tax return form.  This will account for the income you've earned in the UK.  You can get alot of the information off the Internal Revenue Service website.  It's a good idea to keep up on this, especially if you want to repatriate someday.  I was told by an accountant, that you don't want to be denied entry into the US over something like this.  Anyway, I'm still muddling through this issue myself. 

I had read all the information and filed my 2007 income tax form according to the directions for US citizens residing abroad before the April 15, 2008 deadline.  As I had earned absolutely NO income or interest in the US during that entire year, all of my figures were "0" and I was well under the $87,000 foreign earnings mark.  Several months later, I received my original form back with a notice stapled to it.   The notice stated that if I was applying for the "stimulus check" I was ineligible because I had no earnings.  Ummmm, no I was not applying for that check, I was simply filing my taxes.  NOW, unfortunately I have discovered that the IRS has NO record of my 2007 filing!  WTF, do I refile?  This seems idiotic. 

So, in general I'm guessing after moving to the UK I should continue to file a US tax return.  I'm getting married this August to a Brit.  I've heard that he'll have to apply for a US Tax ID # so I file as Married filing Seperately.  Is this true?? Thanks!

So, in general I'm guessing after moving to the UK I should continue to file a US tax return.  I'm getting married this August to a Brit.  I've heard that he'll have to apply for a US Tax ID # so I file as Married filing Seperately.  Is this true?? Thanks!

He wont need an ITIN if you do MFS...you just write Non Residen Alien or NRA where it asks for his SSN/ITIN.

Do any of you that had accountants back home still keep in touch with them and have them help you with your taxes? Or do you just turbo tax it? I had an accountant for 2008 because I've been self-employed, but now I'm phasing into dealing with this in the UK as I have now lived abroad for over a year and now qualify for the foreign income exclusion.

Still trying to figure out how as a self-employed that figures into the paperwork in the UK but as is I apparently won't be crossing that bridge until April in the UK (national insurance) and filing the tax return in July for the U.S.

Hello there,

I've been trying to red this thread but m very confused and was hoping someone could help clear a few things up please?

My husband is American and lives with me and my family in S. Wales UK. We are both 21 and got married Nov 15th 2008.

His FLR VISA was granted in mid Feb 2009.  He has his national insurance number and has just started his 1st employment over here, working 2 part time jobs. 

He hasn't had his 1st pay check yet for the work he has done here as I only started recently.

He didn't work much and earnt very little money whilst still in America.

My question is what are his obligations to America if any, in terms of taxes now that he has started working in the uk please and how do we ensure they are met, especially if it has implications for evidence gathering for the next VISA.

Many thanks,

Sasha

He still needs to file his taxes for the US.  If he isn't earning over 85,000 US dollars, or about that amount, then he won't owe anything, but he still needs to file.

Did he work before in the US?  It is basically the same process, just with a few more forms added in.  If you do a search on this site there is a lot of information about it. 

A US citizen is required to file a US federal 1040 tax return even when nor resident in the United States. The good news is that in many cases the foreign earned income exemption and the foreign tax credit will eliminate any US tax liability on foreign income.

I am a tax adviser specializing in EXPAT tax. Please check out my website at www.lynch.pro [nofollow]

If you are finding all of the posts on UK Yankee confusing there is great free information at the IRS part of the London Embassy website here:
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/irs/irsfaq.htm

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