Filing taxes... SSN of non-resident spouse

02/12/24    Has anyone crossed this bridge? If you file married separately the IRS still will want a SSN. I was reading and it looks like you can even request one in theory at a consulate though the listed docs all refer to immigration which obviously isn't the case. What have you all done?
   

    -@rnbtg

Interesting story.  My husband and I were married in 2017, and we were back in the US for Thanksgiving in November 2018.  and went to an IRS office in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina to address that very issue.  We requested an ITIN for him, since he's never been a US resident and never plans to be, and so doesn't qualify for a SSN.  The  agent behind the counter actually smirked at me, and told us that they couldn't issue him a number there, that he'd have to send his documents, including his passport (original, not a copy), to the IRS in the US when we got back to Brazil, and that they'd return his documents with his number.  I don't know whether he was on the level or just making things difficult for a same-sex couple, and probably never will.  But that plan was an obvious non-starter, so we thanked him, left, and figured that we could live without the ITIN.

When I filed my 2018 taxes I explained what had happened to my tax guy, he tried submitting my married filing separately return with my husband's name and no number -- and it went through.  I've been filing that way ever since, without any issues. 

@abthree Do you do it electronically? Most software wants a SSN.

    02/13/24 @abthree Do you do it electronically? Most software wants a SSN.
   

    -@jasonlovesdogs

My tax guy does it.  He files electronically in the US, perhaps with professional software.  My husband's name appears at the top of the form under the checked box for "Filing Separately" as instructed, but the line below my name and SSN is blank.

@rnbtg

This sounds like a good example of when I usually I would choose to “Pay The Man”. That is,  call around and make an appointment with a tax guru. The guy I used, pre pandemic charged $75.

I’d avoid those temporary tax prep places that only operate from January-April, find someone who has some long term experience.

Once you have it done this season you’ll know how to procede in future years if you want to DIY.

Good luck.

Thanks! thats where its heading for me too it seems. i will have to have it done on paper. i made so little this year Im going to just wing it honestly.