Tax Filing

Even if you did not earn any income, if you were physically in the US on F or J status anytime between January 1st – December 31st 2023, you’re obligated to file a Form 8843 with the IRS (the Internal Revenue Service, or ‘IRS’, are the US tax authorities).

Meanwhile, if you earned any taxable US source income, you may need to file a federal tax return with the IRS. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may also need to file a state tax return(s).

Generally, most international students & scholars who are on F, J, M, or Q visas are considered nonresidents for tax purposes.

International students on J-1 & F-1 visas are automatically considered nonresident for their first five calendar years in the US, whilst Scholars/Researchers on J visas are automatically considered nonresidents for two out of the last six calendar years in the US.

If you’ve been in the US for longer than the five or two year periods, the Substantial Presence Test will determine your tax residency

1. Gather the documents you may need for Sprintax: Employers will be sending your tax forms to you either electronically or via US Postal System by January 31, 2024.  Please do not attempt to file your taxes prior to receiving your tax forms from your employer.

2. Create a Sprintax Account: You have recived an email from the international student office (Early Febuary) providing you with a link to Sprintax to set up your account as well as your unique code to use on Sprintax. This unique code will cover the costs of the federal tax return and 8843 at no cost to you. Open your new Sprintax account by creating a UserID and password or if you have an existing account on Sprintax you can login using your existing credentials.

REMINDER: After you login to Sprintax: You will be asked a series of questions about the time you have spent in the US over recent years. Sprintax will then determine your tax status. If it determines that you are a "nonresident alien" (NRA) for federal tax purposes, you can continue to use the software to respond to a series of guided questions. Sprintax will then complete and generate the tax forms you need to send to the tax authorities. However, if Sprintax determines that you are a resident alien for federal tax purposes, you won't be able to continue using the software.

3. Follow the Sprintax instructions: If you did not earn any US Income: Sprintax will generate a completed Form 8843 for you and each of your dependents (if you have any).

If you did earn US Income: Sprintax will generate your "tax return documents", including form 1040NR, depending on your circumstances.

4. (With U.S. income only) If required, complete your state tax return: After you finish your federal return, Sprintax will inform you if you need to complete a state tax return. If so, you will have the option to use Sprintax for an additional fee. However, it is your choice to use them or to do the state tax return on your own.

5. Read the instructions for filing/mailing your returns: Remember to read the instructions that Sprintax provides. You will be required to download, print and sign your federal tax return and mail it to the IRS. If you have a state filing requirement, you must also mail this to the tax authorities.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to E-file your Federal tax return. However, this will depend on certain eligibility criteria. You can learn more about eligibility in this Sprintax blog. 

Finally, if you only need to file Form 8843, this will also need to be mailed to the IRS.

We partnered with Sprintax to offer international students assistance in filing their taxes. In February and March, Sprintax will host  virtual webinars to provide information sessions and answer your questions. Topics will include who must file, tax residency, FICA, State returns, implications of misfiling as well as how to use Sprintax to prepare a compliant tax return.

Please find the details for the webinar below. Students must register using the link provided to access the free webinars. Once registered they will receive the attendance details directly from GoToWebinar.  

Dates:   

Webinar #1: Wednesday, February 28, from 4 PM- 5 PM (EST)             Watch the Recording Here       

Webinar #2: Thursday, March 28, from 12 PM-1 PM (EST)                    Watch the Recording Here

Need Sprintax Support?

If you need help while using Sprintax, you can contact their support team using the options below

Email - hello@sprintax.com

24/7 Live Chat Help

Refer to their FAQs

Sprintax Educational Tax Videos and Blog: You also have access to the Sprintax YouTube account where there are a number of educational videos on nonresident taxes. These will provide further clarity on nonresident tax and how to use Sprintax. Sprintax also offer a range of useful content on their blog to help you file your return.

DISCLAIMER: International Programs and Partnerships, as well as, staff and faculty at BGSU are NOT permitted to assist any student/scholar with any IRS tax form preparation or tax related questions. The information provided is intended for your benefit. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Sprintax, a certified tax preparer or a local IRS field office.