How can I get my tax back ? - international student?

Question

Hey! I've participated in Work and Travel program in last two years. I did paid federal tax, but exactly I did not have to. ( as a international student I'm not oligated to do it) Now I'd like to get back what I paid.The problem is that I don't know how to do it. My knowledge about US taxation process is not impressive.I stilll have my W2 forms from my employer.Please help me!!!

Answer 1

Merely because you were a non-resident alien student (F-1 or J-1 visa) attending school in the US does NOT automatically mean that your income is exempt from US taxes.

Unless the income you received was explicitly exempt from taxes (and ordinary income is NOT exempt) or unless the income was subject to a tax treaty then it is fully taxable in the US.

Here's a link to IRS Pub 519 which should answer any questions: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p519/index.html

Here's a link to the master list of tax treaties. If your country has a tax treaty with the US that exempts US based student income from US tax it should all be expalined there: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/international/article/0,,id=96739,00.html For the most part, the tax treaties do not exempt you from taxation of your US income, they only bar the US from taxing your other world-wide income earned outside the US. If you were a resident alien or a US citizen, that income would be fully taxable.

Generally you must file a Form 1040NR to calculate any US tax and claim a refund of any excess taxes withheld. If your income was explicitly exempt from US Social Security and Medicare taxes, you'll have to file the required exemption certifications with the employer and get a refund of those taxes from your employer.

Answer 2

If you are not a US citizen and have not applied for a green card you can probably get a large portion of your taxes paid back (including employment taxes). You have to meet the IRS days presence test and the related lookback rule. You must file certain forms with the IRS such as a 1040nr and provide calculations to them based on your days present in the US. I am a CPA and specialize in the international tax arena. I have helped many in your situation file the correct tax returns. Please e-mail me if you need further assistance or have more questions. [e-mail]

Answer 3

enable's be blunt. the yank chance credit isn't for faculty youthful ones who're categorised as non-resident extraterrestrial beings. there have been 1000's of fraudulent tax returns filed with assistance from overseas scholars who by danger-on-purpose declare to be voters, then declare the AOC credit (and to a lesser volume the Lifetime getting to be conscious of credit). those scholars will be stuck and performance to pay the money again plus consequences and pastime. A non-resident alien pupil who does no longer artwork information an annual variety 8843. (I aspect out this because a minimum of one poster suggested you probably did no longer could document something, which isn't actual.) An NRA who works, yet made below $3800 in 2012 ought to document 8843 except they have withholding to get again. A non-resident alien pupil who does artwork (or, say, made money on the inventory marketplace) information both a 1040NR or a 1040NR-EZ with the variety 8843 connected. frequently the 1040NR-EZ is sufficient as non-resident alien scholars won't be able to deduct something on agenda A for shuttle or living expenditures.