Do international students need to pay tax on purchases in the U.S. ?

Question

I'm international student under F-1 visa, stuying in college in California. I wonder why i have to pay taxes when i buy stuffs. since i dont have any benefit from the gorverment, why do i have to pay tax? is that anyway i can have my tax return? i dont understand how is this work. some of my friend said that if i show them my passport, i will not have to pay tax when i buy something, is that right ?
anybody help please !

Answer 1

1. Certain taxes must be collecting on all sales of a product for use in the state where it is purchased. If you have them ship it directly to your home in a foreign country, you might be able to avoid taxes.

2. You are receiving benefit from the government. For example, the roads that you used to get to the college were built and maintained by the government, which also subsidizes the college and provides a police department so to discourage robbers from entering the place where you "buy stuffs" and shooting you there... In fact, you may be receiving more benefit than most U.S. citizens, in that you are allowed to use the libraries, roads, highways, airports, etc., and most U.S. citizens are not using the college.

Answer 2

If you buy something, you have to pay sales tax.

And I'm not sure just how you figure that you don't have any benefit from the government. Sales tax goes to support local and state programs - you get your trash picked up, have a public library available, have police and fire protection, have roads to drive on (and snow plowed if you're in an area where it snows), depending on the school you go to your schooling might be subsidized, etc etc etc.

Answer 3

Some countries have a VAT, Valued Added Tax, that can be refunded to foreigner travelers as they leave the country if receipts are presented to a governmental agency. The US does not have this tax, nor do we refund sales tax. Sales tax typically serves the state and community where you reside. If you drive on the roads, get police and fire protection, have access to hospitals and schools, then you benefit from the tax.

Answer 4

If you work in California, you will have to pay a state income tax and a federal income tax (for both of them, you will fill out a form for resident aliens, because you are in the country legally). Non-resident aliens use form 1040-NR, and California will have a similar version of their form.

If you buy things in the US, you will have to pay sales tax at whatever rate your state charges. This tax is paid at the time of purchase. (Sorry, everyone has to pay.)

Answer 5

Well just so you know, you are paying taxes because everyone else has to who is in the US. Sorry but the US Government is not going to give you special treatment when it won't even give US citizens special treatment. All they want is your cash and if you want any return, you need to file taxes. Showing your passport will not persuade anyone to cut you a break, sorry.

Answer 6

Nope, you pay taxes while you are in US no matter what....

Yes, the system is not fair to legal immgrants who can't get benefits and the sytem isn't doing a good job of stopping illegal aliens from getting benefits if they have a US citizen child.....

Answer 7

convinced... yet they could finally end up with a similar high quality of take care of all. at present, the wealthy can get very sturdy care, while the undesirable are cordially invited to die contained in the gutter. at the same time as regularly happening healthcare could be moral, i imagine the wealthy human beings could resent a drop of their care provision, for the great thing about the undesirable. u . s .'s very focussed on funds, and the failings it buys.

Answer 8

sales tax applies to all