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Please do not confuse it with this question here. It is about a different source of income and a different filling status.

Context: I came to the USA via F2 (student visa) in September 2021 after getting married. My husband’s status is resident alien and he has an SSN. Additionally, he was on an F1 visa for the entire 2021. We have decided to file a joint income tax return for the first time in 2021. I have income in India via salary and consultancy and no income in the USA. My husband's complete income is from the USA.

Questions:

  1. What is the limit above which I will have to disclose my income from India in our US income tax return?
  2. What is the upper limit of income from India above which it will be taxable in the USA? (Already paying tax in India)

Please feel free to ask if the situation is not clear.

Chotu Motu
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What is the limit above which I will have to disclose my income from India in our US income tax return?

You have to disclose all of it, since the US is taxing worldwide income and you're filing as residents for the whole year.

What is the upper limit of income from India above which it will be taxable in the USA? (Already paying tax in India)

Again, no upper limit just as no lower limit. You can use Foreign Tax Credit (form 1116) to account for your taxes paid in India. You may be eligible for Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, check the eligibility rules.

Following up on the comments - you wouldn't be able to file as a full-year resident unless you filed under MFJ status ("Married Filing Jointly"). However, in this situation you need to think whether you actually want to file as a full-year resident. What was alluded to in the comments was that filing MFS ("Married Filing Separately") with separate returns for each of you and a split-year return (dual-status return) or non-resident return for you may be beneficial.

Agree with the advice that you should probably talk to a professional (CPA/EA licensed in your State).

littleadv
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