Help with US Income tax

bacha · #1 03-05-2005, 06:03 AM

Has anyone had experience with obtaining an individual taxpayer identification number (as opposed to a Social security number). I want to claim my dominican wife as a dependent on my income tax return (we both reside in the DR). I heard there is an authorized IRS partner agency in the DR that is authorized to verify required documents. Also, are there any US Income tax preparers located in the DR. Thank you.

La Profe_1 · #2 03-05-2005, 09:12 PM

Sorry!

andrea9k · #3 03-05-2005, 10:47 PM

According to the IRS website, the only acceptance agent (authorized by the IRS to help you get an ITIN) in the Dominican Republic is:

Servicios Personalizados Legales y Bancarios
Avenida Romulo Betancourt No. 483
Plaza Violeta, Local 1-4
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Unfortunately, no phone number is provided, I just called 1411, they don't have this business in their records.

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/artic...113042,00.html

At least it is something to start with...

Jess.

Ben · #4 03-08-2005, 12:37 PM

Bacha,

I checked the IRS web site. It looks like you can submit a Form W-7 directly to the IRS Philadelphia Service Center. The form can be downloaded in English or Spanish from the IRS (you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open the document):

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/...112728,00.html

Links to the Form W-7 are at the bottom of the referenced article. If you carefully follow the instructions and submit any additional documents that are required, you should be OK.

Also from the IRS web site, it appears that all the "big 4" accounting firms are authorized Acceptance Agents for this form. These firms can also prepare a U.S. tax return. PricewaterhouseCoopers has offices in Sto Domingo and Santiago, and I'm sure the other firms all have offices in D.R. as well. The firms are:

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Deloitte and Touche, LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
KPMG LLP

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Ben

Riu · #5 03-08-2005, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacha

Has anyone had experience with obtaining an individual taxpayer identification number (as opposed to a Social security number). I want to claim my dominican wife as a dependent on my income tax return (we both reside in the DR). I heard there is an authorized IRS partner agency in the DR that is authorized to verify required documents. Also, are there any US Income tax preparers located in the DR. Thank you.

If you income is less than US$80,000 a year you may be excempt and claiming your wife would be irrelevant. I suggest calling the IRS directly if your income situation is otherwise as if your are wrong on any filing or you are audited you will incur hefty penalties.

angie.k.s · #6 03-08-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacha

Has anyone had experience with obtaining an individual taxpayer identification number (as opposed to a Social security number). I want to claim my dominican wife as a dependent on my income tax return (we both reside in the DR). I heard there is an authorized IRS partner agency in the DR that is authorized to verify required documents. Also, are there any US Income tax preparers located in the DR. Thank you.

You cannot claim her as a dependent. You'll have to file joint. I am in this same situation, and plan to just fill out the papers for the ITIN and mail that, along with the actual tax return, to the Philadelphia address....

bacha · #7 03-09-2005, 06:02 AM

Thank you all for your assistance

Texas Bill · #8 03-14-2005, 12:36 PM

and have downloaded the form W7 and form W7(SP) from the IRS Website. We have completed the required form and IT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A VALID FORM 1040 when you send it in to the IRS. That address is included in the Form W7 Instructions (downloaded with the form).
We have attached a Certified EXTRACT of our marriage liscense, of my wife's Birth Certificate and a copy of her Cedula showing her new LAST NAME.
Other than that, it is now up to the IRS to assign a ITIN to your wife. They will notify you by RETURN MAIL if the assignment and the number. Use that number on all subsequent filings.
Since the mail delivery in the DR is a sometime thing I used my EPS mailbox in Miami as my address on the 1040 and on the Form W7 as an "in care of" citation.
All ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS will be returned according to the IRS.

You might want to download PUB 501 in PDF format. It has proved to be invaluable to me.

Other than that, the filing is the same as in the USA.
If all your income is US originated, forget about the reference to the US$80.000 figure. it doesn't apply.
BTW, I used TaxACT2004 software for my tax computations and highly recommend it.

Good Luck with the Infernal Revenue Service!!!!

Texas Bill

bacha · #9 07-26-2006, 08:40 AM

It has been sometime since I posted my original request for help-but I now have all the answers. The IRS authorized representativein the DR is Virginia A. Pacheco from the office of Servicios Personalizados Legales y Bancarios, Avendia Romulo Betancourt No. 483, Plaza Violeta, Local 1-4, Santo Domingo, RD. The office phone # is (809) 482-9393. However, Virginia's number is (809) 440-9760 or 224-9760 or 412-8881. She speaks perfect english and is very helpfull. The office is very hard to find and I paid a taxi to show me the way to the office. There is a sign that says Plaza Violeta and the office is located around the conner of the right side as you face the front of the plaza. Ground floor. No office sign.
The procedure is as follows: Your spouse needs to go their personally with ID. In my case my wife has a valid Dominican passport and that was all that was needed. If no passport then other forms of ID will be required ( cedula, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc,). Your spouse requests that Virgina fills out a IRS Form W-7 (Request for an individual taxpayer identification number- ITIN). The fee for services is $75. After the form is filled out, she verifies it and then she sends it somewhere (consulate) for further verification. We went in the morning and returned that same afternoon and the form was ready for pick up. I attached an amended income tax return to the form along with a letter from Virgina and mailed it to the IRS address that was provided in Philadelphia. Approximately 4 1/2 weeks later Virginia called to say that she had received the ITIN number for my spouse and could be picked up at the office. She provided a card (similiar to a social security card) with the nine digit number. However I am still waiting for the IRS to process ouramended return. I hope this helps anyone with a similar situation. Since we have been married two years, I was able to file amended returns for the past two years and should be getting back a nice check from the IRS. You could also apply for ITIN numbers for any dependent children involved.

windeguy · #10 07-26-2006, 09:37 AM

The W7 form along with a 1040 form was all I needed to file in order to get a TIN number for my wife.

If your spouse should ever get US residency, they will then have a Social Security number available to them.

If you only have step-children that live in the DR and that you did not adopt, they do not qualify as dependents. Please let me know if I an incorrect on that, but the qualifications tests in the tax software fail when I try to add a stepchild as a dependent.