Married Filing Separately

[LisaF]

I have a client that is filing married separately but does not have their spouse's social security number.  All requirements were met for married filing separately.  There was no separation agreement and there are no issued with claiming a dependent.  The spouse is not willing to give their social security number.  How can I get past the social security number entry field?

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

 They dont have access to prior year returns to pull the SSN from?  No attorneys involved for the divorce that could acquire the SSN?

Youd need to paper file, you can't Efile without the SSN. 

[dkh]

You can't.  Would the spouse possibly give you the SS# if you did not reveal it to your client.  You would need to mask the number on copy you provide to client.   Explaining that to the uncooperative spouse might help.   

[LisaF]

No, the prior year return is not available.  I will check the attorney route.  Thank you.

[LisaF]

This is a good option to try.  Thank you.

[BobKamman]

I wonder how much the attorney will bill for getting involved in obtaining an SSN that is not required by any law.  Sometimes I really have to wonder about the aversion to filing a paper return -- even these days, when it may sit in a truck trailer outside an IRS Service Center for a month or two.