ilak19

Hiya,

I am filling out my 1040 form for my tax return, just some small questions so I am sure I am doing things correctly...

When asked for amounts, such as income, do all figures need to be put as "annually"...?

Also, uk tax runs from April - April, so is it ok to use that for my 2012 tax return amounts? Or do I need to do it usa way of jan-dec? (Altho this seems more complicated and long )

And I am filing for married but filing seperately, but then it is asking me for my husbands SSN and name, which he doesn't have cus he is uk citizen. So I've left that blank, correct?

Noorah101

Express the figures as stated on the tax form question.

To my knowledge, you need to do it for the US tax year, since it's a US tax return and that's how the US tax year runs. Jan - Dec.

I think so.

These are very specific tax-related questions, not visa or immigration-related questions, so I'm going to separate this thread and move it to the General USA forum. You might need to give a short background about how you're getting a visa, but tax questions are better answered in that other forum.

Rene
Moderator

ScousePete

Slightly off-topic, but why are you only filing your 2012 tax return now?

Noorah101

The OP is a USC; her spouse is getting an Immigrant Visa. They both live in the UK. This requires at least the most current 3 years of tax returns. The OP is a USC, but hasn't been filing US tax returns while living abroad, so she's now filing the required back tax returns.

Rene

jeffreyhy

The very first item on the Form 1040 reads:
"For the year Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2012, or other tax year beginning ... ending ... ."

If you do not find the information you need to determine if you can use a different tax year in the 1040 instructions, try contacting the IRS office that is located in London, in the US embassy compound.

Regards, JEff

ilak19

Ok thank you for your help and answers everyone.

I am filing 2012 at the moment as that's the one the ConOff has requested and said one years will be sufficient enough. I will be filing the others as well.

IRS in London are very helpful but the problem I'm having is they are only open for phone calls for short hours and I am working everyday. Can't find much time to make the call. Tmrw they are closed for phonecalls which means Monday is the next day to call :-/

I will take your answers/advice into great consideration and fill out the form as best as possible. Hopefully all will be fine.

ilak19

Thank you :-)

hoffage123

ilak,

Just bear in mind that you when you do pick a period of time (either Jan-Dec or Apr-Apr) you need to stick to it for consistency. The UK-Yankee forums also has a sub-forum on taxation that may be of help to you in understanding the ins and out of tax returns.

ilak19

So I can use April-April 2012?

hoffage123

Yes, if you wish. But you will need to do that for future tax returns as well.

Noorah101

Since you're going to be in the USA soon, and will be doing your future tax returns from there, just use Jan - Dec for this one (even though it's a pain), because that's what you'll be using for as long as you're living in the USA.

It would be more of a pain to use April - April now, but then have to figure out your US tax returns April - April every single year while living in the USA. This one time might be a bother, but it's better than having to do that the rest of your life!

Rene

jeffreyhy

If you wish. From IRS Publication 538:
Not necessarily. From IRS Publication 538:
I don't know which would be the bigger hassle - filing a calendar-year tax return when one's relevant records are on a fiscal year, or filing to request a change from reporting on a fiscal-year basis to a calendar-year basis.

Regards, JEff

penguinsix

Unless it is a right royal pain, use Jan-Dec. And by royal pain I mean going back to a professional accountant and having them recompute everything on your behalf.

If it is just something that you can do, then it's just a minor thing and it will make it easier in the long run.