International Income Tax Software Now Available
The Office of International Services (OIS) has recently sent out an email about the International Income Tax Software. We do encourage you to read this email. International students and scholars who worked in the U.S. and received pay in 2018 need to fill out and file tax forms with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you are a nonresident for U.S. income tax purposes, which many F-1 and J-1 students and scholars are, it is time to begin preparing to file your 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ forms on U.S.income you earned in 2018, even if your income was exempt from taxation based on a tax treaty. In addition, all students and scholars who are on F-1 or J-1 visas, and who are nonresidents for U.S. tax purposes, are required to file Form 8843 Statement with the IRS, regardless of whether or not you had any U.S. income. Form 1042-S has been distributed by mail. If you have any basic questions about your tax filing status with the University, please contact Richard Gallardo at (210) 562-6309 or Sonia Arevalo at (210) 562-6379 in Payroll Services. Please note that the Payroll Services can only answer general questions related to U.S. income tax filing status and cannot give you advice about filing income tax forms.
It is your individual responsibility to understand and meet your tax obligations. The OIS has licensed the GLACIER Tax Prep (GTP) software to assist in preparing your U.S. federal income tax return (form) this tax filing season. This online tool provides easy-to-use federal tax preparation software along with an extensive online library that will help you file your tax forms and understand the often confusing rules surrounding taxes for foreign nationals. Your tax filing requirements will often be different from the requirements for the U.S. citizens due to tax treaties, immigration rules, and other exemptions. These complexities make it important to understand how you are taxed so that you can properly complete a return. You will be able to access the program via the internet from anywhere in the world using a computer, tablet, iPad, iPhone, Android, etc. You will use your University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio domain to login ID to access the Glacier Tax Prep website. If you are required to fill a state tax return, a link will appear to Sprintax. GTP will also offer the opportunity to jump over to Sprintax to have assistance in the preparation of state tax return. However, if you choose to continue to Sprintax, you will log out of GTP, create a separate Sprintax registration, and pay a separate fee directly to Sprintax. Instructions for GTP can be found in the email that was sent by the OIS. If you have trouble locating this email, please contact the OIS.
We encourage you to complete your U.S. tax return as soon as possible. The quicker you begin – the quicker you’ll finish (and receive any tax refund due to you!). The tax filing deadline for most nonresident aliens is April 15, 2019. Please note that the last two weeks of the tax season are a very busy time to use GTP, so you may experience delays if you submit questions during that time.
The IRS website provides examples on who qualifies as a “Non-Resident” for filing U.S. tax returns. The GTP software will also help you determine if you are considered a “Non-Resident” or “Resident” for U.S. tax purposes. For those individuals who do not qualify as “Non-Residents” for filing U.S. tax returns, GTP software will not be of assistance to you and you will need to use another resources (IRS website, other tax software, private certified public accountant or tax preparer, etc.) to prepare your Resident tax returns. U.S. tax law is extremely complex and specific to each individual’s situation. Therefore, the OIS is not able to provide tax advice regarding your personal income tax return.
VITA (Voluntary Income Tax Assistance Program) offers free tax help to low-to middle-income individuals who are not comfortable preparing their own tax forms. Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare basic tax forms in communities across the country. Not all of the VITA sites can handle 1040NR or other issues related to nonresidents or the particularities of international student and scholar tax returns, such as tax treaty benefits. The VITA site at Guadalupe Community Center 1801 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. does have volunteers who understand non-resident taxes. Please refer to VITA for more information about their hours of operation. The VITA volunteers are protected under the Volunteer Protection Act, and as such, must set limits for each site, including the income of the tax filers. For more information to see if you qualify or to schedule an appointment, contact (210) 207-1711.
If you still need tax return preparation services, consult with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) knowledgeable in non-resident and/or international tax preparations. A listing of CPA’s who work with nonresident aliens was included in the email.