Help Filing Your US Tax Return For International Students:

Always look on the bright side!

Nobody hates filing taxes more than me. But, unfortunately it does have to be completed, otherwise you can be subject to fines. So here is a gentle reminder that international students studying in the US do need to file-and soon, the deadline is the 15th April. So get a move on if you haven't done so already. The following is some advice on filing your tax return, and some useful links to get you started.

Just for clarification, incase you were just thinking that there might well be a way around you having to file a tax return, there is not, as every international student along with their dependents will need to file Form 8843 if you have not received any income, but if you have been earning, then you will also need to file a 1040NR-EZ. Every individual, regardless of whether they are one family, will need to file their own Form 8843 and send it in a separate envelope. 

You may well be asking 'Why must I file taxes?'

Well, first of all, it is the law, so-not to get in trouble. You do not want to upset the US government as they will throw you out of the country at the drop of a hat and can make it very difficult for you to enter the country again. Make sure that once you are out there, you behave yourself the best you can-this means filing taxes too! On the bright side:

• You might get a refund. Some international students will qualify for a refund due to tax treaties and a lack of serious income if they’ve earned income in the US.
• Protect taxation of your worldwide income.
• You fulfill your visa obligations. All international students must file at least Form 8843 (see below) in order to remain legal under F, J, M & Q visas, even if you didn’t earn any money in the US.

But where do I begin?

There are many ways to file your taxes. You can file the proper forms on your own, you can hire a tax attorney, or you can purchase tax preparation software such as Sprintax. Most international students file on their own, however this will depend on how complex you expect your return to be, sometimes it is worthwhile hiring a tax attorney purely based on the amount of time it will save you.

All the information you need is on this website, so please visit http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Foreign-Students-and-Scholars 

Do not hesitate to give them a call if you are unsure of anything. It is much better and far less time consuming to get it right the first time around and there are far less chances for error if the forms are completed online.

Get filing out those tax returns, good luck, and if you have any questions-direct them to Elizabeth!

Amber Williams-Director

Bearla International Studies

info.bearla@gmail.com