Guidebook / U.S. Taxes
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The income tax system in the U.S. is generally facilitated by employers estimating and withholding tax for their employees that is sent to the federal and state governments. The tax amount withheld from your paycheck is calculated based on information you provided in your W-4 or other tax documents, as well as your tax filing status and possibly your residency ().
NOTE: Review your paycheck to see how much tax was withheld. If the amount seems incorrect, please contact HR.
Each Spring, the government and employees calculate if the tax estimates withheld were correct: if an employer withheld too much tax from your paycheck, a refund will be issued to you; if an employer did not withhold enough tax from your paycheck, you may need to pay the remaining tax owed. This reconciliation process in the Spring is known as the Income Tax Return, and each employee is responsible for submitting theirs.
Who Needs to File
The U.S. tax year runs from January 1 through December 31. Any F-1 student physically present in the U.S. during the previous tax year is generally required to file something during tax season (for example, if my studies begin on January 8, 2025, but I came to the U.S. in December of 2024, I have to file paperwork during this Spring鈥檚 tax season because I was physically present in the U.S. in 2024).
The tax filing requirement is based on earning income or being in nonresident tax status, or both. Most F-1 students are considered 鈥渘onresidents鈥� for tax purposes. Nonresident status typically lasts for the first five (5) calendar years of physical presence in the U.S. Any international student who is a nonresident for tax purposes, even if not employed, is required to file tax paperwork. Once you become a resident for tax purposes, the paperwork may only be required if you are employed.
Tax Filing Process
The tax paperwork required will vary depending on whether you earned income or not. It is also important to know that the nonresident tax paperwork is different from resident tax paperwork (for example, your resident peers may use TurboTax, H&R Block, etc. but these programs will calculate nonresident tax incorrectly). Therefore, OIP partners with NC State University to get students discounted access to . Sprintax is designed specifically for nonresident tax processes. Sprintax also is helpful for determining your tax status (are you a resident or nonresident for tax purposes).
The paperwork required for nonresidents depends on whether you worked or not last year:
If you did NOT earn income in 2024 and are a nonresident for tax purposes, your tax听filing paperwork is pretty simple. The is the only form you are required to听complete. You may complete this form on your own, but you can also use the Sprintax听Software. Once complete, you will need to mail the Form 8843 to the address provided听on page 3.
If you DID earn income in 2024 and are a nonresident for tax purposes, you are听required to file the Form 8843, along with the applicable Federal and State income tax听return forms. You will input information into Sprintax based on the paperwork you received from your employer (W-2, etc.), and Sprintax will complete the forms for you. Once finished, you will want to follow 厂辫谤颈苍迟补虫鈥檚 instructions for submitting your returns (via mail or web).
Common sources of U.S. income are reported on the below documents, which may come to you by post, email or via an online platform. Everyone may receive different forms depending on their circumstances. For whichever forms you do receive, save them to have accessible for when you begin working on your tax return:
- W-2 – wage statement you should receive from any/all employers that reports your earnings and any tax withheld during 2024
- 1042-S – statement reporting non-qualified scholarship funding, as well as income covered by a tax treaty
- 1099-MISC – statement reporting income from miscellaneous sources such as prizes, honorariums, royalties, etc. when there is not an employer/employee relationship
- 1098-T – statement reporting tuition paid during 2024; this form is only needed for resident tax returns
- 1095-(A,B,C) – statements reporting different kinds of healthcare coverage; these forms are only needed for resident tax returns
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Other information you will need to have available when completing your tax returns include:
- Passport
- Form I-20
- SSN (if applicable)
- Dates for current and past entry to and exit from the U.S. (your I-94 travel history can help with this, along with stamps in your passport)
- Credit or debit card, along with your bank account and routing numbers
Always keep a copy of your tax paperwork in case there is a problem or if the IRS audits you in the future. Save your own copies rather than relying on Sprintax to store copies, just in case you cannot access your account in the future.
Using Sprintax
- If new to Sprintax, visit and select 鈥淕et Started鈥� to create your account. If you have used Sprintax in the past, log in to your account.
- Answer the initial questions to determine your tax status. If Sprintax determines that your tax status is Nonresident, you can proceed; if Sprintax determines you鈥檙e a Resident for tax purposes, you can use an alternate service for resident returns, such as IRS Free File, TurboTax, H&R Block, etc.
- If your tax status is Nonresident, your next step is to for the reduced cost of $5, which covers the cost of preparing the Federal tax return through Sprintax. Note that the $5 does NOT include the preparing of a State tax return through Sprintax. A State tax return costs $50 to prepare through Sprintax.
- Return to the Sprintax site, complete your tax return and use your Sprintax Tax Code in the 鈥楻eview Your Order鈥� section.
- Follow 厂辫谤颈苍迟补虫鈥檚 instructions to submit your tax return forms.
Resources
While taxes can feel daunting at times, know that there are a number of resources available to help make the process easier. Also remember that you are only required to file, not file perfectly. If you make a mistake on your tax returns, the IRS will let you know and you can correct as needed.
Sprintax has a variety of ways for you to connect with them if you run into any questions:
- Email: hello@sprintax.com
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- 厂辫谤颈苍迟补虫鈥檚
- 厂辫谤颈苍迟补虫鈥檚
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the U.S. agency overseeing the tax process. The IRS has a few different resources that may be helpful:
- (when applicable, a tax treaty can serve to reduce or eliminate income tax owed)
- (though it can take some time to receive a refund, you can check the status of your return on the IRS鈥� website)
