Should I file taxes myself or hire a tax professional? Joint filing with ITIN application

I'm planning to file jointly with my husband for this upcoming tax season. This will be only our second time doing taxes together. We have two children - one has a Social Security number but we need to get an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) for our other child (completely missed this requirement last year!). Last year we qualified for free filing, but our household income increased this year so we no longer qualify for the free services. I'm feeling pretty nervous about the whole process. How complicated is it to handle our taxes ourselves? I'm really worried about making expensive mistakes. Would tax software be sufficient, or should we pay for a professional tax preparer's help? We don't have any side income or complicated financial situations - just regular employment income. We're in the US on work visas if that matters. Appreciate any advice from people who've been in similar situations!

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18 comments

Aisha Abdullah

•8M

Filing your own taxes with tax software is definitely manageable in your situation! Most tax software options (TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, etc.) walk you through everything step-by-step with simple questions about your situation. Since you're filing jointly with employment income and children, the software will guide you through all the relevant tax credits like the Child Tax Credit. The ITIN application (Form W-7) can be completed alongside your tax return. The software will help you with this too, though this part requires submitting original documents or certified copies from the issuing agency. You'll need to either mail these with your return or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center or authorized Acceptance Agent. Being on a work visa doesn't usually complicate things much as long as you're considered a resident alien for tax purposes (generally if you've been here long enough to pass the Substantial Presence Test).

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Aisha Abdullah

•8M

You don't need to wait for the ITIN to be approved before filing your return and claiming benefits. You can submit your tax return simultaneously with the ITIN application (Form W-7) for your child. The IRS will process the ITIN application first, then process your tax return with any applicable credits. Processing times vary considerably, but currently it's taking about 7-11 weeks for ITIN applications. This is considerably faster than during the pandemic when it was taking several months. Just make sure you submit all required original documents or certified copies with the W-7 form to avoid delays.

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Yuki Tanaka

•8M

After years of stressing about taxes, I finally found an amazing solution that saved me so much time and worry! I was in a similar situation last year - filing jointly, one kid with an ITIN, work visa status - and tried https://taxr.ai after someone recommended it here. It analyzed all my documents, caught mistakes I would've definitely made, and walked me through the ITIN application perfectly. Their system actually flagged that I was eligible for credits I had no idea about! The software is super straightforward and specifically addresses foreign national situations like ours. It asks about visa status and has special guidance for ITIN applications.

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Yuki Tanaka

•8M

It absolutely helped with the document verification process! The system has a specific checklist for ITIN applications showing exactly which documents are accepted and how to get them certified properly. It even provided instructions for using IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers to verify documents in person so I didn't have to mail originals. The AI component was surprisingly accurate with my visa situation. It asked specific questions about my visa type, entry date, and previous tax filings to determine my tax residency status. It's definitely not generic - it has specialized pathways for different visa types (H1B, L1, F1, etc.) and handles the specific tax implications of each. I was impressed that it correctly identified my treaty benefits based on my country of citizenship, which my previous accountant had missed completely.

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Andre Laurent

•8M

I have to update my previous skepticism about taxr.ai - I ended up trying it for my taxes this year and it was legitimately impressive. I have an H1B visa and a complicated situation with my spouse having an ITIN, and the system handled everything perfectly. The document recognition feature saved me hours of manual entry, and it caught a major mistake I would have made with my foreign income exclusion. The best part was how it guided me through the ITIN renewal process (they expire now!) with clear instructions. My return was accepted without issues, and I got my refund faster than ever before. Definitely worth checking out if you're on a work visa with ITIN dependents.

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AstroAce

•8M

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS about ITIN questions (which is super common), try https://claimyr.com - it's been a game-changer for me. I spent WEEKS trying to call the IRS about my family's ITIN applications last year and could never get through. The Claimyr service got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was initially very skeptical that this would work, but they use some kind of technology that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When they get close to an agent, they call you to connect. The IRS agent I spoke with answered all my ITIN questions and even helped resolve an issue with my previous year's return. Saved me from having to take time off work to visit an IRS office in person.

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AstroAce

•8M

They don't call the IRS for you - instead, they have an automated system that dials and navigates through all the IRS menu options, waits on hold, and then when they detect a live agent is about to answer, they call you and connect you to that agent. Basically, their system waits on hold so you don't have to. You could absolutely do it yourself if you have hours to stay on hold, but most people don't. The point is saving time. The IRS hold times are currently averaging 45-90 minutes (if you can get in the queue at all before they cut you off for "high call volume"). With this service, you just go about your day, and they call you when an agent is available. I was honestly shocked when it worked, but it did, and the IRS agent I spoke with cleared up all my ITIN questions in about 10 minutes.

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Jamal Brown

•8M

I need to apologize and correct my previous comment about Claimyr. After struggling for weeks with my ITIN application issues, I was desperate enough to try it despite my skepticism. I'm completely shocked to say it actually worked! Got connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes (they texted updates while I waited), and the agent resolved my ITIN verification problems immediately. The woman I spoke with at the IRS said they're severely understaffed for ITIN processing right now, which is why so many of us are having issues. She was able to check my application status and confirm they had received my documents but needed additional verification. Would have never known this without getting through. For anyone dealing with ITIN issues, getting a human on the phone made all the difference. Can't believe I wasted so much time trying to call them myself.

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Mei Zhang

•8M

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if you're on a work visa, pay close attention to any tax treaties between the US and your home country! This could significantly affect your tax situation. Many countries have agreements that prevent double taxation or provide special deductions. Also, depending on your visa type and how long you've been in the US, you might be considered a "nonresident alien" or "resident alien" for tax purposes, which have different filing requirements. The "substantial presence test" determines this status.

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Mei Zhang

•8M

Standard tax software like TurboTax and H&R Block will ask questions about your citizenship and residency status, then apply any relevant tax treaty benefits automatically. The software will prompt you to identify your country of citizenship, and it has the treaty information built in. However, if you want to check yourself before filing, you can look up tax treaties on the IRS website - Publication 901 "U.S. Tax Treaties" lists all current treaties and explains the specific benefits. Common benefits include reduced taxation on certain types of income or special rules for students, teachers, and researchers. The treaty articles can be a bit technical to read, but the overview tables in Publication 901 make it fairly straightforward to see if any benefits might apply to your situation.

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