Search Q&A
US tax status - single or married?
Hi! I'm a US resident and trying to file my US taxes this year. Maybe another American in Belgium can help me out. I have a cohabitation contact with my Belgian partner and we joint file our Belgian taxes.
Does anyone know (or know where I can find out) whether I need to find "single" or "married" for my US taxes, since I joint file with a non-spouse here in Belgium?
Thanks a lot for any help you can give! katy
If you're not married, you have to file as unmarried (or head of household if you qualify for that). The IRS doesn't care how you file your Belgian taxes.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Answers-to-Frequently-Asked-Questions-for-Registe...
that's right. you're not legally married so you can't file married.
You're welcome. Frankly, you are probably much better off than if they made you file jointly *unless your non-spouse is also a US citizen/green card holder). If you're married to a foreigner living outside the US, you have to either file as "married filing separately" or tell the IRS to treat your spouse as if he/she were a US permanent resident. In the first case, many of your tax deductions go poof, and in the second case, your spouse would be taxed on all of his/her worldwide income just like you. The IRS (and treasury department in general) don't make it easy on Americans living abroad.
