Who Needs an ITIN or Individual Tax Identification Number?

ITINs do not serve any purpose other than federal tax reporting. You can file Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), with your federal income tax return. You must also include original documentation or certified copies from the issuing agency to prove identity and foreign status. The Individual Tax Identification https://intuit-payroll.org/ Number, or ITIN, allows taxpayers who don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN) to file income tax returns. Unlike other forms of ID, ITINs only have one purpose—tax filing and reporting. Having an ITIN number won’t make you eligible for benefits, such as Social Security or earned income credits that provide refunds to some low-income filers.

1. A Social Security number is only issued for citizens and qualifying resident aliens, such as green card holders.
2. Get a refund of income tax withholding from the IRS, if you qualify.
3. See discussion of the “Substantial Presence Test” in Topic No. 851, Resident and Nonresident Aliens for more information.
4. Along with the completed Form W-7, you’ll submit identity documents and either a federal tax return or other documentation to show the federal tax purpose for which you need the ITIN.
5. Certain offices can verify passports and national identification cards and return them immediately.

Or, get unlimited help and advice from tax experts while you do your taxes with TurboTax Live Assisted. And if you want to file your own taxes, you can still feel confident you’ll do them right with TurboTax as we guide you step by step. No matter which way you file, we guarantee 100% accuracy and your maximum refund. Once you apply for an ITIN, you can expect to hear from the IRS about the status of your application within seven weeks.

If you decide to work with a CAA, they can verify your original documents and send certified copies to the IRS for you. If this has happened to you, locate contact intuit payroll the IRSN number on the letter you received from the IRS and list it under box 6f. This way, the IRS will be able to match the tax return in their system.

How Certified Acceptance Agents can help with your ITIN

A taxpayer identification number (TIN) is required on all returns, statements, and other tax-related documents and you must provide it upon request to any other person who needs it to comply with the tax law. For most individuals, their TIN is a social security number (SSN). A foreign person, who doesn’t have and can’t get an SSN, must use an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). A foreign person may be a resident alien for income tax purposes based on days present in the United States. See discussion of the “Substantial Presence Test” in Topic No. 851, Resident and Nonresident Aliens for more information. If questions 11 through 17 on Form SS-4 do not apply to the applicant because he has no U.S. tax return filing requirement, such questions should be annotated “N/A”.

The discussion of allowable tax benefits has been expanded. For more information see Allowable Tax Benefits in the Instructions for Form W-7PDF. Under box 6e, indicate whether you’ve been issued an ITIN before, and list the number in box 6f. Because ITINs are confidential, they aren’t considered reliable for tracking someone’s credit history or financial health. That’s why many creditors only accept Social Security numbers and won’t rent to ITIN holders. Security Certification of the TurboTax Online application has been performed by C-Level Security.

Get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file your tax return

Acceptance Agents are entities (colleges, financial institutions, accounting firms, etc.) who are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs. They review the applicant’s documentation and forward the completed Form W-7 to IRS for processing. You will need to complete Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security CardPDF. You also must submit evidence of your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status.

If you are not a U.S. citizen and do not have a Social Security number, learn how to get and use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file a federal tax return. Applicants who meet one of the exceptions to the requirement to file a tax return (see the Instructions for Form W-7) must provide documentation to support the exception. Sponsoring departments making service or honorarium payments to international visitors who are residents of tax treaty countries should arrange for in-person interviews for their visitors with Tax Services. If a visitor does not speak English, the sponsoring department should also arrange for an interpreter to be present at the interview.

Why do I need an ITIN?

They also have special resources for international students, military members, and others. Find out about your state taxes—property taxes, tax rates and brackets, common forms, and much more. If you receive an IRS notice related to the ITIN application, CAAs can contact the IRS on your behalf.

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is a tax processing number issued by the IRS. The purpose of an ITIN is to ensure those who work in the U.S. have a method of paying taxes, even if they don’t qualify for a Social Security number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers and protects taxpayers’ rights. If you qualify for our assistance, which is always free, we will do everything possible to help you. After you apply for an ITIN and qualify for an ITIN, you could receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number in as early as seven weeks. However, the speed in which it takes to get an ITIN depends on the volume of inquiries the IRS receives — it can take nine to eleven weeks during busy times.

Acceptance Agents (AAs) and Certifying Acceptance Agents (CAAs) can help you complete applications. Each of these groups has specific requirements to qualify. See IRS.gov – ITIN Updated Procedures Frequently Asked Questions. Open a bank account or apply for a mortgage loan, if you qualify. Ask a real person any government-related question for free.

An ITIN will serve as your identification number for filing your taxes. With tax professionals and Certified Acceptance Agents (CAAs) nationwide, our offices are well-equipped to guide you through the ITIN application or ITIN renewal process. ITIN holders must verify their identity through the video chat process and will need a valid email address, proof of ITIN, one primary document and one secondary document. You will receive a letter from the IRS assigning your tax identification number usually within seven weeks if you qualify for an ITIN and your application is complete. At Keeper, we’re on a mission to help people overcome the complexity of taxes. We’ve provided this information for educational purposes, and it does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice.

If you’re working and earning money in the United States, but you don’t have and don’t qualify for a Social Security Number, you’ll need an ITIN. You can apply for an ITIN tax ID for you, your spouse, and your dependents when you prepare your tax return with us. Apply for an ITIN in-person using the services of an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent.

Credits & Deductions

You can mail the W-7 and documentation to the address in the Form W-7 Instructions. Bring it to your local IRS office, or use an acceptance agent (colleges, financial institutions, or accounting firms that are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs). They’ll review the W-7 and documentation before sending it to the IRS. They don’t entitle the taxpayer to Social Security benefits, stimulus payments, or other benefits. Anyone who needs to file a U.S. tax return can get an ITIN, regardless of their U.S. immigration status. If you’re required to file a tax return and aren’t eligible for a Social Security number, you need to apply for an ITIN (See the What should I do? section, above).

More In Forms and Instructions

In light of recent security breaches, many people are fearful of offering personal data and documentation to someone they don’t know, especially through the mail. If none of the in-person options work for you, you can still submit your application by mail. We strongly suggest that you get certified copies of all your documents instead of sending originals. We also suggest you send the application and documents by certified mail so you’ll have evidence of when you filed the application and where you sent it. Many applicants have reported the IRS lost their passports or other valuable and hard-to-replace identification documents.

ITINs that have not been used on a tax return for Tax Year 2020, Tax Year 2021 or Tax Year 2022 will expire December 31, 2023. Unless you will not need to file an income tax return next year, you will likely need to renew your ITIN if you fit either of the above two categories. To apply for an ITIN, complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Form W-7 requires documentation substantiating foreign/alien status and true identity for each individual. The process for obtaining an ITIN isn’t always easy – a PATH Act law passed in 2016 affecting ITIN renewals. With the law, every ITIN will now have an expiration date.