Tax Information
The following information is for summer 2007 Work America participants.
The summer may seem like a long time ago and although you are back on UK soil, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be expecting tax forms from you by April 15th 2008. Although you were exempt from paying social security (FICA) tax, you are still required to file an 'income tax return' to report your income and demonstrate you have met all the tax requirements. But don't despair, you may actually be able to get all or some of your money back! Hurrah!
To find out how much you will get back (or how much you will owe if you earned a lot of money!), you will need to complete various tax forms. To complete these, you will first need a W-2 (WAGE AND TAX STATEMENT) form from your employer. This is a record of your total earnings and taxes paid. Your employer should send this to you automatically by late February but if you haven't received it, contact them to ensure they do send it and that they have your current address. If you do not receive this form by the end of February you can try to complete the form using your last pay slip, however you would also need to include a letter explaining why you could not obtain the W-2.
Federal Income Tax Forms
Most Work America participants will be able to use the 1040NR-EZ US Non-resident Alien Income Return forms which can be downloaded below. Be sure to print off the actual form AND the 20 pages of instructions. If you cannot download these forms, or would like originals, send your request to US Embassy, IRS Dept., 5 Upper Grosvenor St., London W1A 1AE. Be sure to indicate that you require the 1040NR-EZ forms and include your full mailing address.
These and other forms are also available at http://www.irs.govov
BUNAC's 1040NR-EZ Guidelines - BUNAC's guidelines for completing the 1040NR-EZ are only guidelines. You must read the IRS instructions carefully to ensure you have answered the questions correctly and appropriately for your individual situation. You are responsible for the accuracy of your tax forms and BUNAC is not responsible should you file incorrectly.
If you live in Scotland, tax assistance will be available by appointment at the US Consulate in Edinburgh from late February. Call (0131) 556 8315 to make an appointment.
State And City Income Tax
State and city tax regulations differ from state to state. To claim a refund, you will need to obtain the appropriate forms. Most state tax offices allow you to download their tax forms. Links to these sites can be found at
http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/article/0,,id=100236,00.html
The form that you should be looking for will be called a Non-resident Income Tax Return Form or an Individual Income Tax Return From, please search the website carefully for the correct form. You should submit your State Tax Return by April 15th 2007 and expect to receive your refund (if you are owed one) 2-3 months after the claim has been filed.
KEEP COPIES OF ALL DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SEND WITH YOUR TAX FORM
Do You Need Help?
It is possible to complete the forms yourself, but some people do have difficulty. If you find you can't make any sense out of the IRS's instructions, or if you just can't be bothered (!), you may find these companies and websites useful:
www.taxback.com - Taxback are a company specialising in helping students obtain their refund. They will take care of everything for you for a percentage of your refund. Visit their website for further details.
www.thetaxguy.com/nrtaxguide.htm - The Tax Guy is another website that offers useful tax information for international visitors – that’s you!