ITIN Number – Friend or Foe?

At times, people do not know if an ITIN number is actually necessary or not. They think to themselves, why do we need it? What is the point of it? It is not helpful, why should I even apply for it? Well, that is not true. Truth is, if you are already earning while living in the States, chances are, you are paying taxes, the real question is, would you not like your tax returns?

Benefits of ITIN Numbers as Friends

An ITIN number can prove to be a real friend once you know what its benefits are. The first benefit of the ITIN number is that the government will give you the extra money which you have paid in the form of taxes. Taxes are paid by all individuals, and it is not easy to earn. Getting tax returns is a good thing, your saving the money you have earned. You can use this as savings or you can invest the money in long terms investments, or use it however you wish, it belongs to you. Just to give you a heads up, only those who have an ITIN number can get tax returns.

This can be called a benefit, though it does not benefit anything. ITIN number lets the IRS know who are paying their taxes. This actually helps an individual prove to be a good law abiding citizen. This will not change your status in the country, but still, who wouldn’t want to be in the government’s good books?

Building credit is also a good thing. Not that kind of credit, building a good credit score. Some banks accept ITIN number when you open an account. Opening bank accounts may sound and look like an easy thing to do, but it is not. Credit scores can do wonders for people, having an ITIN can help you open an account, who knew?

Applying for a Friend- ITIN Number

You can find the W-7 form on at the official IRS website, or if you search on the internet you may easily find the form. Once, the W-7 form has been found, you can save it and get a print out. When the form has been printed, make sure to go over it very carefully, and provide all needed documents needed for identification verification purposes. When you have gathered all information, and have completed the W-7 form. You may send it to the IRS via mail, personally dropping it, or through a TAC where an IRS certifying acceptance agent will provide aid. Remember, the W-7 form cannot be submitted online, it can only be sent through other methods.

ITIN number are definitely your friends, get yours today. You can ask us if you still have any quarries regarding ITIN number.

Knowing When You Need An ITIN Number

An ITIN number or an individual taxpayer identification number given to individuals by the Internal Revenue Service is a tax processing number. This nine digit number is required by individuals who do not have a Social Security Number, but are required to file their taxes. Therefore, if you do not have or are not eligible for a Social Security Number, but you need to file your federal income tax return, you will need to apply for an ITIN number. An individual cannot obtain both a Social Security Number and an ITIN at the same time. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind about ITIN number:

Documents Required for an ITIN Number

There are certain documents which you will be requiring as proof of your validation for the ITIN number in case you cannot submit a passport. The IRS will require a combination, i.e. two or more of the following documents which are as follows:

• US driver’s license
• NIC
• Civil birth certificate
• US military ID
• Foreign driver’s license
• Foreign military ID
• Visa
• Foreign voter’s registration card
• US state ID
• US Citizenship and Immigration Services photo ID
• School records
• Medical records

Each of these documents will be required under different circumstances. For instance, while a few of these documents will be needed in case you are a foreign national, some of them will be sued for identity purposes.

Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

The application process for the ITIN number is not complicated at all. You can start by filling out a special application form after which you can attach the relevant identity documents with it. The services of a special authorized IRS Acceptance Agent or an ITS Taxpayer Assistance Center can also be used instead of mailing the application form yourself. If you seek their services, they will help you with the entire application without you having to worry about what documents you will have to send across.

When to Apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

Ideally, you should fill out your ITIN number application form as soon as you have the requirement of filing your federal income tax return. This return will be attached to your application form. You can send out your application for your ITIN number anytime throughout the year. But keep in mind that your tax return should not be filed after its due date because then you will owe interest or other penalties along with it.

Do you think you are one of those people who have to apply for an ITIN number? Are you having trouble with understanding the entire procedure or how to go about the process? If so, then why not give us a call or send us an email? We will be more than happy to help you out and answer any of the questions that you might have. The overall process is quite simple, and once you understand the basics, you will be well on your way to carrying out the whole process without any difficulty.

The New Procedure to Obtain ITIN Number

For paying taxes in the US, you must have a taxpayer identification number. Social security number is one such form of tax identification but it is only provided to citizens of the US. Thus, if you are a non-resident alien; then the government issues you a different tax ID called an ITIN number.

An individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) is a number required for tax processing. Foreign nationals, who need to file a federal income tax return or claim exemption from withholding, need to get this number. It is a 9 digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

While applying for an ITIN number, generally, you need to get an application Form W-7, complete it and attach it with a completed US tax return. A few documents are required to prove your identity including a certified copy of your passport. This application is submitted to the IRS for processing and then you get your tax ID number within a couple of months.

Interim Procedure

Due to a few concerns about the current process of issuing ITIN number, IRS has recently announced a new interim procedure revising the application process and documentation requirements for people getting this number. Until recently, a copy of your passport certified by a notary was enough to prove who you are and to get an ITIN number. But now, notarized copies of your birth certificate or passport are no more accepted for this purpose.

However, a copy of these documents certified by the issuing agency is acceptable. If you are not able to get copies of your documents certified by the issuing agency, you need to send your original passport or birth certificate to the Internal Revenue Service.

If you send your original documents, you need to wait for at least 60 days in order to get them back. So, before submitting your original passport; you must check whether you need it anywhere else in the following 2 months.

ITIN Number Applicants Not Impacted by the Changes

According to the announcements made by the IRS, interim changes are not obligatory for a few applicants. The individuals who need to continue following the instructions given on the Form W-7 are:

• Spouses and dependents from military families who do not have a SSN. Such applicants need to provide a copy of spouse or parent’s identification issued by the US military. They may also get an exemption from the new interim documentation standard, if they apply for an ITIN number directly from an APO/FPO address.
• US non-resident aliens who need to claim tax benefits, or need a tax ID for purposes other than filing a tax return. For instance, the non-residents who are subjected to a third-party withholding for different incomes like pensions or money won in gambling or those who require an ITIN number for getting information only. However, the documents submitted by these applicants are scrutinized quite strictly.

So, if you are a spouse or dependent of a person in US military or if you need an ITIN number for a purpose other than paying taxes; then you can still submit a notarized copy of your birth certificate or passport.

This interim procedure is effective only for a while however, as IRS promises to introduce a new permanent procedure soon.

If you want to apply for an, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN tax number and have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at 888-509-3616. If you have any suggestions please share those with us as well. Freedomtax ITIN Number has a professional team of IRS Certifying Acceptance Agents, and tax accounting professionals with more than 16 years of experience, helping immigrants with their ITIN application. Freedomtax can also help immigrant entrepreneurs incorporate a business in the USA. Freedomtax ITIN Tax Number Online services provides Quality, Professional Service with a Family Feel.