Tax Filing and green card

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krajan02

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

I got my Green Card in April 02. I was employed at that time but about 2 months after that i lost my job. After that i have not worked. My question is when i file the 2002 Tax return , my total lenght of emplyment during the year 2002 in which i got my green card is only about 2 months. Will this cause any probelms?

I know that in order to maintain residency i need to file taxes even if it for zero dollers but does INS keep track of W2's and the salary mentioned in the Labor certification?

would appreciate any help.
thanks,
 
IRS does not say that everyone has to file a tax return.
Only people with some minimum incomce need to file,
say, $6000 for single filing status. I did not file a tax
return during a year when I earned $5000, though
I made it up 3 years later after some thougyts came to
me--IRS did not bother me (to my surprise, I found
IRS investigated my credit history when I
read my credit history report)

Does INS say any resident alien must file a tax return
even the alien earns zero dollars?

Of course, to be on the safe side, maybe we file
a tax return even if we do not have any income.
So either way, we are right (unless IRS say
people with 0 dollar income should not filre
a frivolous tax return to unnecessarily increase
IRS workload.
 
>The N-400 for example has a question "Since becoming a LPR,
>have you ever failed to file a required Federal, state, or local tax
>return?"

I believe that a lot of people ignore local tax return
even though I think they are technically required.
Because local township usually applie flat tax rate
so that no refund, no adidtional payment, therefore
no one bother to file and no local township bother to
enforce laws.

Don't know how to answar that N-400 question.
 
Originally posted by AmericanWannabe
>The N-400 for example has a question "Since becoming a LPR,
>have you ever failed to file a required Federal, state, or local tax
>return?"

I believe that a lot of people ignore local tax return
even though I think they are technically required.
Because local township usually applie flat tax rate
so that no refund, no adidtional payment, therefore
no one bother to file and no local township bother to
enforce laws.

Don't know how to answar that N-400 question.
Click to expand...

I think the question means whether you failed to file a return even though you were required to do so. If your income was below the minimum requirement and you did not file a return, that cannot be considered as a failure to file a return.
 
My post is about local tax return. Many high-wage earners
do not file local tax return to township because the rate is flat
and tax is already deducted so that it is too trivial. But technically
township ordinances may require filings
 
How serious is not filing?

I've couple of Qs:

1. Where can I find information about not having to file if the income is less than certain amount (i tried irs.gov)?

2. How serious of an offense is not filing? Is one deportable? One can amend a filed return upto 7 years, but is there a similar limit to file? N-400 addresses only the period during residency and not prior to that?
 
>Tax evasion is a serious crime, and I think it could get you >deported.


Tax crimes has a statute of limitation (3 years from teh earlier of actual filing or filing due date). If statueu of limitation runs out,
IRS can not have you prosecuted but they still can get tax you owed plus civil penalty

But statute of limitation never applies to INS. You
can be deported if you evaded tax or not filing as required
30 years ago (I felt strange that government has not
used this as a weapon to fight terrorist suspect -
anyone leave out one thing or two in tax payment).
 
Originally posted by AmericanWannabe
>Tax evasion is a serious crime, and I think it could get you >deported.


Tax crimes has a statute of limitation (3 years from teh earlier of actual filing or filing due date). If statueu of limitation runs out,
IRS can not have you prosecuted but they still can get tax you owed plus civil penalty

But statute of limitation never applies to INS. You
can be deported if you evaded tax or not filing as required
30 years ago (I felt strange that government has not
used this as a weapon to fight terrorist suspect -
anyone leave out one thing or two in tax payment).
Click to expand...

So, if one fails to have filed in the past (several years back), what's the best course of action at the present in order not to jeopardize the future?

1. Do nothing and hope that nothing will happen?

2. Approach IRS and settle whatever dues (including penalties), there by self-incriminating and possibly face deportation?
 
> Approach IRS and settle whatever dues (including penalties),
>there by self-incriminating and possibly face deportation?

If failure was more than 3 years ago, then correcting it
now can not be self-incriminating because the statue
of limitation already run out so tha t you are perfectly
safe in terms of criminal laws. You only need to settle
it as a civil matter - pay due taxes and civil penalties.

In fact, I believe even civil penalties have statue of limitation.
SO you only need to pay taxes plus interests
 
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