Can I file back taxes with new social security number after having ITIN?

Does that mean they'll never be able to claim those credits for those years, even though she has a social now? That seems unfair if she was legally working but just waiting on the paperwork.

Unfortunately, that's correct. Tax credits like the Earned Income Credit generally require both spouses to have valid social security numbers during the tax year in question. Getting a social security number later doesn't retroactively qualify you for credits from previous years. The IRS considers your status at the time the tax year ended. It may seem unfair, but that's how the tax code is written. The good news is that for 2023 and future tax years, they'll now qualify for these credits since both spouses have valid social security numbers.

How does this actually work? Do they prepare the taxes for you or just tell you what to do? I'm confused about a bunch of back taxes too but I'm worried about sharing my documents online.

Sounds like an ad. Did they actually help with your payment plan or just the filing part? Because getting the IRS to agree to a reasonable payment plan is the hardest part IMO.

They don't prepare your taxes - they analyze your documents and give you specific guidance on how to handle your situation. They told me exactly how to answer each question in my tax software and what forms I needed. All the documents are encrypted and they delete them after analysis. They didn't directly set up my payment plan, but they did tell me exactly what documentation I needed to qualify for one and how to request a more affordable monthly payment based on my financial situation. The advice made it much easier to get approved for terms I could actually afford, which was a huge relief after stressing about it for months.

Wait, you're saying they actually get someone from the IRS on the phone? How is that even possible? I've literally called 50+ times over several weeks and couldn't get through.

This sounds too good to be true. The IRS phone system is deliberately designed to be impossible to navigate. I'll believe it when I see actual proof someone got through.

Yes, they actually get an IRS agent on the phone! They have a system that navigates all the IRS phone menus and waits on hold for you, then calls you when they have an actual person on the line. It's not instantaneous - for me it took about 3 hours - but I was able to do other things instead of sitting on hold that whole time. I understand the skepticism completely. I felt the same way before trying it. Their system works because they've figured out the optimal times to call and exactly which menu options to select for different departments. They're basically professional phone system navigators who know all the tricks to get through when regular callers can't.

I got a payment plan last year for about $9,000. If you owe less than $50,000, it's pretty straightforward. I'm paying $175/month. You can apply online through the IRS website once all your returns are filed. The interest keeps accruing though, so pay as much as you can afford.

Thanks for sharing that! $175 seems doable. Did they verify your income or expenses before setting that amount, or did you get to choose how much to pay each month? I'm worried they'll want more than I can afford right now.

For the simple online payment plans, they let you choose your monthly amount as long as the total will be paid within 72 months. They didn't verify my income for that plan. If you can't afford the minimum payment for the 72-month plan, you'll need to apply for a different type of agreement where you have to provide financial information (Form 433-F). They'll determine your payment based on your income minus allowable expenses. It's more paperwork but could get you a lower monthly payment if you truly can't afford the standard plan.

Also make sure you're mailing to the right IRS address! They have different processing centers depending on your state and what forms you're filing. I sent mine to the wrong place and it added months to the process.

This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now. Quick question - when you mention including a cover letter explaining the ID number change, did you attach this to each tax return you mailed in, or just send it once with all the returns together? Also, how long did it take for your returns to show up on the tax transcripts after you filed them? I'm trying to plan out the timeline for getting my payment plan set up.

@e7127ccef07c I included the cover letter with each return I mailed - basically a one-page explanation that my spouse's identification changed from ITIN to SSN after the tax year ended, so the return reflects the ID number valid at that time. I figured it was better to be redundant than have one return get separated from the explanation. For timing, it took about 8-10 weeks for the returns to show up on my tax transcripts after I mailed them (this was during tax season though, so processing was slower). I'd recommend checking your transcripts every few weeks once you hit the 6-week mark. One heads up - even after the returns showed on the transcripts, it took another 2-3 weeks for the online payment plan system to recognize that all my returns were filed. The IRS systems don't always sync up immediately. I ended up calling (well, using one of those callback services someone mentioned above) to confirm everything was ready before applying for the payment plan. The whole process from mailing returns to getting payment plan approval took about 4 months for me, but now I have peace of mind knowing everything is properly handled!