Requesting Social Security Number For Child

[TheJoker12]

Which is a better choice to send to for fastest service?

And, how do I get a credit for my infant on my tax return if its going to take 6 months to get her social security number? I am filing before April 2010 obviously.

[CWMcMurray]

I have looked into this issue and from all of the information I have found out:

1. If you are making under 80,000 USD per year you can file for foreign income expemption

2. If your child does not live with you in the US, they do not qualify for child tax credit

I am in a similar boat as you, but neither my wife or kids currently have SSN, but given the fact that I do not make USD 80,000 per year, form my understanding it is really a non issue as there is no benefit to claiming them on your taxes.

[IMA_FARANG]

It must be tax season again!

Im definately not a U.S. tax expert....so the answer almost always is:

Contact the U.S. embessy in Bangkok, the American Citizens Services, and ask them. Call them on the phone. They have a web site you can google and get the telephone numbers.

From my limited knowlwdge I believe the following to be true:

1. There is a thing called an ITIN (Individual Tax Identificaion Number) that the IRS can assign to those who do not have or do not qualify for a SSN (Social Security Number). Check with the U.S. embessy about that ITIN and how you get it.

2. If for some reason, you can not get a SSN in time, or can't get an ITIN, you can file your tax return without claiming your child as a dependent. Later when you get the SSN or ITIN, you file an ammended Form 1040X with those numbers and claim your dependents on that Form 1040X.

3. I believe that if you physically reside with your foriegn dependents and claim your rsidence as a foriegn residence, you may claim them as your dependents if:

a) they physically reside wih you. (at your foriegn address)

b)you actually pay their living expenses.

4. I believe that all SSNs have to be issued through the U.S. anyhow. Sending the request to the Philippines is just a convenience for Americans living there and the Philippines simply forwards them to the U.S. for approval. So it will probably be as quick to go dirctly to the U.S. Again...check this with the U.S. embessy in Bangkok.

5. For those who file overseas, and caim the 80,000 tax exemption, but don't make 80,000 dollars income; yes you can pay no taxes if you qualify. So the point of listing them as your dependents is moot...you can't get more dependent credit if you pay zero tax anyhow. But you should still file for SSN numbers for them if they qualify. For one thing, they will be idntified all their lives by that SSN to the federal government. It will make any future paperwork much simplier if they already have a valid SSN.

But,once again, the real answer is....Ask the American Embessy.Call them or visit them.

P.S. You can get tax forms thru the U.S. embessy or download a copy of most tax forms for the IRS on-line site.

Edited December 29, 2009 by IMA_FARANG

[noise]

4. I believe that all SSNs have to be issued through the U.S. anyhow. Sending the request to the Philippines is just a convenience for Americans living there and the Philippines simply forwards them to the U.S. for approval. So it will probably be as quick to go dirctly to the U.S. Again...check this with the U.S. embessy in Bangkok.

My experiences have shown that SSA mail to the U.S. from Thailand is sent to the P.I. for processing before the U.S. will deal with it. So I recommend saving time and deal directly with the P.I. Worked for me.

[jlaaway]

I am US citizen, my wife Filipina, and my son born in Philippines. But I came to work in Malaysia before I had a chance to get SS documentation. Anyway, went to the US Embassy in KL and filed all the neccessary paperwork to get SSN for my son (and US passport) along with TIN for my wife. So now I file US tax with them both as dependents.

But as already mentioned, it doesn't save me money since I too do not make over the $80K foreign exclusion. However, if I had done all this one year before, I would have received $600, instead of just $300, for the 'stimulus' rebate from 2007. My wife was a little pissed at me for being lazy about that!

Along with all the above paperwork, you will also need to file something called a Consular Foreign Birth form (or something to that effect). All of that was something like $180. But the big expense was they wanted DNA proof that my son was really mine. I mean, I had marriage certificates, birth certificate, pictures, etc. but they still said they couldn't be sure. Hopefully, the Embassy in LOS won't put you through all that.

Good luck,

jla