Are 4 years of federal tax returns good enough?

A

allaboutgc

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

I went to the IRS website and tried to order past tax return scripts. From there I could only order 3 years: tax year 2008, 2009, and 2010. I am not able to order the script for tax year 2007.

In April I will file tax return for tax year 2011, and then I will be having the tax script for 2011.

So in all I will have 4 years scripts: 08 - 11.

I got my GC in 2007, but could not get the script for tax year 2007. Is it going to be an issue during the interview?

Thanks!
 
allaboutgc said:
Hello,

I went to the IRS website and tried to order past tax return scripts. From there I could only order 3 years: tax year 2008, 2009, and 2010. I am not able to order the script for tax year 2007.

In April I will file tax return for tax year 2011, and then I will be having the tax script for 2011.

So in all I will have 4 years scripts: 08 - 11.

I got my GC in 2007, but could not get the script for tax year 2007. Is it going to be an issue during the interview?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Try their phone line. They offer a year or two more than what they offer online.
 
allaboutgc said:
I got my GC in 2007, but could not get the script for tax year 2007. Is it going to be an issue during the interview?
Click to expand...
I was not asked about my tax returns at all during the N-400 process, and neither were my wife and my parents, although we all had jobs as LPRs. So, I would not stress too much about it.
 
Jackolantern said:
Or visit an IRS office in person (you may have to wait an hour or two if there is a long line).
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I managed to get 5 years of account transcripts (1 page each), and only 3 years (2008,2009,2010) on tax return transcripts over the phone. Will the 1 page account transcripts suffice the N-400 document requirements??? Experts please suggest??

Thanks
 
Aakash28 said:
I managed to get 5 years of account transcripts (1 page each), and only 3 years (2008,2009,2010) on tax return transcripts over the phone. Will the 1 page account transcripts suffice the N-400 document requirements??? Experts please suggest??

Thanks
Click to expand...

If they are concerned about your taxes for any given year, they'll probably want to see the full tax return transcript, so the 1-page transcript probably won't be enough.
 
I called IRS today (1-800-829-1040) and requested tax transcript for 2007, which is the only one I could not get from IRS website. Not sure whether they will ask me to bring it, but I requested it just in case. The IRS officer said that could not retrieve it, because it is too old. Instead, they will mail me the accounting info for 2007. They said it would come by ordinary mail in 5-10 days. I would probably also take my tax return file for 2007 to the interview - better this than nothing. Do they necessarily require tax documents of all applicants of N-400? Some of my colleagues that were going through naturalization were required to bring just driver's license. Don't the same rules apply to everyone equally with regards to required documents, like passports, tax transcripts, papers from police department, driver's records, paychecks?
 
Marusia_GC said:
Don't the same rules apply to everyone equally with regards to required documents, like passports, tax transcripts, papers from police department, driver's records, paychecks?
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The documents they ask for are specific to each person's circumstances. The green card is probably the only thing that everybody is asked for.

They usually don't care about tax transcripts unless (1) you have extensive travel abroad, and they want to see that you filed taxes for the years you were abroad (2) you're applying based on the 3-year marriage rule or (3) you have some kind of tax issue like failing to file a required return or filing as nonresident or owing back taxes.
 
None of these 3 scenarios apply to me. But to be on a safe side, I think it would not hurt ordering those tax transcripts or accounting documented from IRS. I am wondering whether IO may ask to show documents at the interview that were not listed in the letter? Does this happen often?
 
Marusia_GC said:
None of these 3 scenarios apply to me. But to be on a safe side, I think it would not hurt ordering those tax transcripts or accounting documented from IRS. I am wondering whether IO may ask to show documents at the interview that were not listed in the letter? Does this happen often?
Click to expand...

Yes, they can and often do ask for documents that were not specifically listed on the letter. What they ask for is specific to your circumstances and their discretion.
 
Jackolantern said:
They usually don't care about tax transcripts unless (1) you have extensive travel abroad, and they want to see that you filed taxes for the years you were abroad ...
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I do have extensive travel abroad and I won't be able to show them my filed taxes, because I simply haven't filed anything as I was not required to. My income as a student was so low that I would not reach the limit.

So far the IRS woudlnt have the records for me for some years. Is that an issue for the future naturalization?
 
Hannah7 said:
I do have extensive travel abroad and I won't be able to show them my filed taxes, because I simply haven't filed anything as I was not required to. My income as a student was so low that I would not reach the limit.

So far the IRS woudlnt have the records for me for some years. Is that an issue for the future naturalization?
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For those who traveled abroad extensively and are applying for naturalization, the tax transcripts are part of the evidence for showing their ties to the US during the periods of extended travel.

But in your case, that's largely irrelevant because by the time you gain eligibility for naturalization it would be 2016 or later, by which time you won't have to prove your ties to the US for 2011 and before.
 
I went to the local IRS office and got transcripts for the last 3 years. The IO never asked for them though.
 
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