How to Get ITIN for Kids When Filing Tax Return
I need to get ITINs for my kids and wondering about the timing. Is it possible to apply for ITIN (W-7) at the same time I'm filing my tax return? My coworker mentioned that a tax preparer could handle the whole process for me instead of dragging myself to an IRS office with all the kids and waiting forever. Has anyone done this before? What's been your experience with tax preparers handling ITIN applications for dependents? I'm dreading the process but need to get this done for the 2025 filing.
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Elin Robinson
Yes, you can absolutely submit W-7 applications for ITINs along with your tax return! This is actually one of the most common ways people apply for ITINs for their dependents. Using a certified acceptance agent (which many professional tax preparers are) can make the process much smoother. They're authorized to verify your kids' identity documents, which means you won't have to mail your original documents to the IRS or visit an IRS office in person. The preparer will complete the W-7 forms, attach them to your tax return, and submit everything together. Just make sure whoever you use is actually a certified acceptance agent (CAA) - not all tax preparers are. They should be able to show you their certification if asked.
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Atticus Domingo
•Do the kids need to be physically present when the tax preparer is processing the ITIN application? And roughly how long does the whole process take from submission to actually getting the ITINs?
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Elin Robinson
•Yes, typically the children do need to be physically present when working with a Certified Acceptance Agent. This is because they need to verify the identity of each person receiving an ITIN, similar to an in-person verification at an IRS office. The timeline varies quite a bit. During non-peak times, it might take 7-9 weeks to process ITIN applications and issue the numbers. However, during tax filing season (January through April), it can take 11-13 weeks or sometimes longer. Your tax refund (if you're expecting one) will be held until the ITINs are processed and assigned.
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Beth Ford
I went through this exact situation last year with my sister's kids who moved in with me. After trying to figure it out on my own and getting frustrated, I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me understand the whole ITIN process. They actually analyzed all my documents and told me exactly what I needed to do. I was confused about whether my niece and nephew needed to bring their birth certificates or if their passports were enough, and they cleared everything up. They also explained which tax preparer qualifications to look for to make sure they could handle ITIN applications properly.
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Morita Montoya
•How does the service work exactly? Do you upload your documents and then they tell you what to do next? I'm a bit hesitant to upload my kids' identity documents online.
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Kingston Bellamy
•Is it free or do they charge? And do they actually file the ITIN applications for you or just give advice?
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Beth Ford
•The service works by analyzing your documents and specific situation. You upload the documents you think might be relevant, and their AI system reviews them and provides detailed guidance. They use secure encryption for all document uploads, which helped ease my concerns about privacy. They don't file the applications for you - they provide detailed guidance about the process. They have different service tiers, but I found even their basic option gave me all the information I needed to confidently move forward with a tax preparer who was properly certified to handle ITIN applications.
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Morita Montoya
Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I decided to try it after all and am so glad I did! The document analysis saved me a ton of headaches. Turns out I was completely wrong about which documents would work for my kids' ITIN applications. They flagged that my daughter's passport was expired (I hadn't even noticed) and that would have caused my application to be rejected. They also helped me understand the difference between regular tax preparers and Certified Acceptance Agents. Worth every penny for the peace of mind!
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Joy Olmedo
If you're having trouble finding a good tax preparer to handle the ITIN applications, you might want to try calling the IRS directly to ask for recommendations of certified acceptance agents in your area. That's what I tried to do last year, but I spent HOURS trying to get through to an actual person. After getting disconnected three times, I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent gave me a list of local certified acceptance agents who could process the ITIN applications with my tax return.
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Isaiah Cross
•Wait, how does this actually work? I thought the IRS phone lines were just permanently understaffed and there was no way to skip the line?
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Kingston Bellamy
•Sounds like a scam to me. There's no way to "skip the line" with government agencies. They probably just got lucky with the timing or are making this up.
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Joy Olmedo
•It's not skipping the line in the traditional sense. What they do is use an automated system that continually calls and navigates the IRS phone tree until it reaches the queue for a human representative. Once it gets there, it holds your place and calls you to connect. You're definitely right to be skeptical - I was too! But the alternative was spending hours on hold myself, getting disconnected, and starting over. The IRS is notoriously difficult to reach, especially during tax season. I'm just sharing what worked for me when I needed specific information about certified acceptance agents for ITIN applications.
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Kingston Bellamy
I need to eat my words from my previous comment. I was really skeptical about Claimyr but decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my kids' ITIN situation. I couldn't believe it actually worked! Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes who answered all my questions about the W-7 form and confirmed that yes, I could submit it with my tax return through a certified acceptance agent. Saved me hours of frustration and hold music. Sometimes the skeptic has to admit when they're wrong!
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Kiara Greene
One thing to keep in mind - when you apply for ITINs with your tax return, your refund will be held until the ITINs are processed. Last year this took almost 4 months for my brother's kids! If you need your refund quickly, you might want to consider applying for the ITINs separately before filing your tax return.
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Ivanna St. Pierre
•Thanks for mentioning this! I hadn't considered the refund delay. Do you know if there's any way to apply for the ITINs now, before tax season starts, so everything's ready when I file?
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Kiara Greene
•Yes, you can absolutely apply for ITINs before tax season! You'll need to submit the W-7 forms along with your federal tax return, but you can do this outside of tax season. You'll include a note explaining that you're applying for ITINs for the purpose of filing tax returns in the future. The advantage is that once the ITINs are assigned, you'll be able to file your 2025 tax return normally without delays in processing or receiving your refund. Given that ITIN processing is typically slower during peak tax season, applying now could save you significant waiting time.
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Evelyn Kelly
Whatever you do, DONT mail original documents to the IRS if you can avoid it!!! My cousin did this for her kid's ITIN application last year, and it took 8 months to get her daughter's birth certificate back. Use a certified acceptance agent who can verify the documents on the spot so you keep your originals.
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Paloma Clark
•Is there a directory or something where you can find certified acceptance agents in your area? I'm in a small town and not sure if we even have any nearby.
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