In a move that might upset some married filers, the IRS has announced that taxpayers that filed a joint tax return will not receive an economic stimulus payment if at least one of the filers does not have a valid social security number. Only taxpayers with a valid social security number are eligible for economic stimulus payments.
Married Filing Jointly
If only one spouse has a social security number, that spouse has been advised to file as “single.” This directly contradicts normal guidelines.
Ordinarily married taxpayers do not have the option to file as “single,” but an exception has been made in this situation. Here are the special circumstances provided by the Internal Revenue Service:
- The individual does not have a traditional filing requirement but must file a 2007 return to receive the economic stimulus payment.
- The individual has $3000 or more in “qualifying Income”.
- The individual is married but only one spouse has a valid SS.
Due to the complexities of filing 2007 tax returns and the implications of your filing status on receiving an economic stimulus payment, affected taxpayers are encouraged to seek assistance to ensure they are filing their returns correctly. A paid preparer or a volunteer through the free IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program can help you determine your correct filing status.
Tags: economic stimulus payment, filing status, valid social security number