MFS, SS Number

[geekgirldany]

Husband and wife separated getting a divorce. Wife filed tax return already. She will not give husband her SS number. Says she wants to give it to me. I don't see why she can not give it to him since it will be on the return anyways. I am thinking she filed incorrectly and is going to be asking alot of questions in regards to his return.

So my question, should I even talk to her?

I am thinking that even if I consider talking to her I should get a privacy release from the husband.

Appreciate any input. Afraid this maybe a mess.

Dany

[BOB W]

Just tell her you have not started on his return but you know that you will need her SS# when you do start on the return.

[Gary2]

Could he get it by getting a transcript of a prior year's MFJ return (assuming one exists), and leave her out of it entirely?

[geekgirldany]

Edited:

I just called him back and told him to get the transcript.... I am not getting into the middle of a divorce. I don't care how on "good terms" they are.

[geekgirldany]

Well I finally got the SS#.

I guess I made a bigger deal out of it then I should have. She was pretty nice. Just never know in these situations.

If she filed HOH and they have been separated for less than 6 months... is there a way that this can be traced? Or is it only by audit?

[S T]

Well

I think it can only be traced by audit/letter notice - Depending on your State, they might audit first, I know Calif does, (Calif catches the t/p alot with their HOH questionnaire they send out every 2 years) IRS doesn't seem to audit this much, at least not from what I have seen in the past.

You just want to make sure, your t/p is filing correctly.

Sandy

[Koss]

Ssn

Does the wife realize that her husband will get a copy of his own tax return, which will contain her SSN?

She must have filed HOH or Single. Otherwise she would have had to enter his SSN on her return. Or maybe she actually did that, but simply doesn't grasp the idea that her husband has a right to get complete copy of any tax return that he files.

I just can't imagine that the preparer would have any obligation to redact the other spouse's SSN from the return, even if the other spouse had somehow explicitly tried to prohibit "re-disclosure" of the data. As someone else pointed out, he can always get a transcript, or even a copy of the tax return, from the IRS. So even if the preparer redacted the spouse's SSN from the client copy, he could turn right around and get an unredacted copy from the IRS.

You give up certain privacy rights when you get married...

BMK

[geekgirldany]

Thanks Sandy! I told him several times that he is filing right and that is what matters.

Yep she did HOH. I am not sure why she would not give him the SS #... I mean yes it will show up on his tax return. She just does not realize it I suppose.

The last time I spoke with an ex/separated wife it wasn't too friendly. So I was hesitant on calling this one.