W-7 , how to fill up Treaty country and treaty article number

[mfradkov]

I am renewing an existing ITIN by form W-7.
I checked box "a" - nonresident alien required to get an ITIN to claim treaty benefit.
Now I have to "Enter treaty country" and "treaty article number".

Please, help with these entries!
I am Canadian and live in Canada.

[nelsona]

Well. what treaty benefit are you claiming? Most use another category when requesting ITIN.

[mfradkov]

It is to apply to a social security benefits, first of all

[nelsona]

so that is not a treaty benefit.

How are you eligible for Social Security?

If that is the only reason to get an SSN, perhaps the SSA will issue one to you for the purpose of receiving Social security.

Otherwise, you need to be filing a US tax return to get an ITIN.

[nelsona]

I believe you are already receiving Social security, so why the sudden need for an ITIN?

[nelsona]

You also stated earlier you worked on TN. You would have had to have a SSN to do this.

[mfradkov]

My spouse get SS benefits.
I am going to apply for the same . As I know I have option to get 50% of my spouse SS benefit.
To apply I need ITIN.

I think, in this case, I need to mark b-Nonresident alien, filling a U.S. federal tax return

[mfradkov]

I wrote above question on behave of my wife.
Sure, I have SSN and I have SS benefits.
Now, I start paper work for my wife to apply for the same SS benefits.

[nelsona]

Well, are you filing a US tax return? A W-7 is attached to that return. If you are not filing, then that is not a reason to file W-7
)AS I said, IF your spouse is entitled to SS, then SSA will tell her whether she needs an SSN number, and whether they will give it to her for that reason. That would be a better approach than trying to come up with a fake/incorrect reason to get an ITIN, which would likely be rejected and delay matters. If she had an ITIN previously, she could try reactivating it (which requires either filing a tax form, or finding an exception -- which you do not seem to have), but I would try SSA first.

Just a quick question: Are you getting SS based on having contribyuted 40 quartes, or are you using Totalization to make up the shortfall?

[mfradkov]

I have SSN ,get SS benefits, IRA, and do 1040NR form every years.

I am going to prepare needed papers for my wife to get SS benefits.
It looks as I need to start with the application for SS benefits and read it carefully.

Thanks, for unformal help. I will postpone with this question and maybe continue later.