What about looking on your marriage license?
Here in Minnesota, you both have to provide SSN’s when applying for a marriage license.
Covered in the OP.
(Bolding mine.)
I may not be thinking this through all the way, but why not request an extension of time to file. Then you can send her a certified letter with a W-9 and give her something like 3 weeks to fill out and return the W-9. If she gives you her SSN, then you’re all set. If she doesn’t, you have proof that you requested it and she’s on the hook with the IRS for not providing it when required.
Hmm, do that many men really have a nuclear-powered submarine? If so he sounds like a good catch.
[GD, RLH=pardon my silly mood]
It’s also none of your damn business. I’m looking for a factual answer to a specific question, if you’re not interested in at least pointing me to where I can get the info from than don’t post in this thread.
Well, ordinarily I would point you in the direction of your spouse. You know, the logical, adult-type answer. I can’t imagine that anyone else on this board who is married doesn’t know (or can’t readily find) their spouse’s SSN.
And since this is GQ, that’s about it, I guess. 
I don’t see the need to rub salt in the wounds here.
[Moderating]
I do think your first post was out of line here, and didn’t really serve to address the question. The OP’s situation is clearly different from that of most people. Please refrain from these kind of remarks in the future.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Sounds like the $50 penalty is the lesser of all possible evils. At least you know the amount (and there is a chance they won’t notice and fine you). Everything else is more expensive.
If I may, what reason did your lawyer give for not filing singly? It sounds like the easiest way to go since you had no goods in common.
You have to file according to your status on the last day of the tax year. The OP was (and is) still married, so he might be kind of effed if he gets audited if he files as single.
Remember, marriage licenses are public record, and it’s not like the IRS couldn’t check them even if they weren’t.
Assuming your memory is correct, perhaps the SSNs are on the form you used to request a marriage license, even if they’re not on the actual license? You can easily verify this by going back to the license bureau and asking to see a blank form. If it does ask for SSNs, you can then ask them if they keep the completed applications for marriage licenses.
Yep, this is what I meant. Maybe even her parents. Explain the situation and that you’ll both be screwed if you don’t exchange numbers.
Yeah, that’s pretty much what I’m thinking. I’d rather not have to pay anything at all, but $50 is not too bad. Having the lawyer open communications or hiring an investigator or some of the other options people have given would cost more than $50.
Why not file as single? What Really Not All That Bright said. If they decide to take a closer look at my return, I’d probably get in more trouble filing single than filing married filing separately and leaving her SSN blank. I’ve no idea what she’s planning on filing as, since she’s refusing to communicate with me or the lawyer at all. But I’ll probably hold off until April 14th on the off chance that she’ll come to her senses.
That’s an idea. I’ll stop by the courthouse and ask.
That’s the same lawyer that suggested you put in 000-00-0000, right? :dubious:
Not the same situation at all, but when we didn’t withhold enough one year, we wrote them an explanation and included it with our return. We could have been subject to penalties for this, but weren’t.
In your case, you could include an explanation that you don’t know her SSN, you can’t contact her, and you have no other way of finding it out. Include any information that might help them to match the correct person with her name with you. Maybe write “See note” in the SSN space. I suspect that they aren’t required to fine you, and that if you show diligence on your part, they may waive the fine.
About the $50 fine… it has been mentioned to just go a head and pay it. But, will that get you off the hook? It is likely the IRS will still want that info, even after the fine. I’m failing to see why your lawyer cannot get this info for you (not getting “not an option”). If anything, that should be part of a divorce lawyers job.
Any medical records - like shared medical benefits have the SSN?
Because he’ll most likely hire a private investigator or someone similar to find the information, and it’ll cost a lot more than if I’d have hired one on my own, since he’ll add hundreds of dollars of his own fees + the PI fees. Second, at this point I am reasonably certain that I can not include her SSN and my return will still be processed. If it “gets me off the hook”, fine, if not, I’ll deal with that issue when and if it arises.
No, neither of us have jobs where we get medical insurance or benefits. Plus her sister is a doctor so she gets free treatment/medicine/advice. And no, I can’t contact her sister and ask her for help. She (the sister) has married herself and moved to a different state, and I don’t have any contact info for her. I’ve only met her sister’s hubby once and I don’t even remember his first name, let alone his last.
A PI? Can’t he just serve her with legal documents as part of the divorce? Something to the effect of “divorce contingent on lawfully filing his and her taxes, we need this from you ASAP”. You’re already paying him I assume… as you said, “…am in the middle of a divorce”. Which to me means you are not quite done with this lawyer guy yet until the divorce in finallized. I’m not trying to pry or pick on you, I just think your lawyer guy sucks to be honest. This seems like something that should be standard practice in divorce cases.
When you sign your return you’re making a sworn statement that everything in it is correct to the best of your knowledge. If you file as a single when you know you’re married you could be charged with perjury. Same thing with putting in zeroes. It would be much better to leave the SSN blank - that way you’re not lying under oath.