Important Tax Information for F and J Visa Holders - 2023 Tax Filing Season

This website clarifies the tax obligations for international students and scholars in F and J status whether or not you worked for Tulane.

If you did work for Tulane in 2023 AND you are a non-resident alien for tax purposes (typically, this means you have lived in the U.S. for less than 5 years) you should receive e-mails from support@online-tax.net by January 31, 2024, with information about how to file your taxes through the Glacier Tax Prep system. 

If you do not receive the email from support@online-tax.net or you have questions about using Glacier or getting access to Glacier, please e-mail the International Tax Office (ITO): ito@tulane.edu. 

The deadline for filing:  

Federal income taxes with Form 8843: April 15, 2024

Louisiana State income taxes: May 15, 2024

 

☑ Determine your tax residency status

For international students and scholars, there are three tax filing statuses: Nonresident Alien, Resident Alien and Dual-Status. You can use this section of the IRS website to determine your tax filing status.

 

☑ Determine which forms you need to file

If You Are a Resident Alien for Tax Purposes:

As a Resident Alien, you are subject to tax rules in the same manner as a U.S. citizen. Your worldwide income is subject to U.S. taxes. You must report all interest, dividends, wages, or other compensation for services, income from rental property or royalties, and other types of income on your U.S. tax return. You must report these amounts whether they are earned within or outside the United States.

If You Are a Nonresident Alien for Tax Purposes and You Received Any Income in 2023: ​​​

Examples of income include on-campus employment, scholarships greater than tuition or other payments from the university, off-campus employment (OPT, CPT, Academic Training), etc.

  • You are required to file a federal income tax return. You can potentially get a federal tax refund when you file if you overpaid your taxes.
  • You are required to file Form 8843 ​​​​​.
  • You may be required to file state tax income tax paperwork. You can potentially get a state tax refund when you file if you overpaid your taxes.

If You Are a Nonresident Alien for Tax Purposes and You Did NOT Receive Any Income in 2023:

You are required to file Form 8843 ONLY.

See below for more information about each of the above-mentioned forms.

 

☑ Learn more about the tax forms and applicable deadlines

Federal Income Tax Return Paperwork

A tax return is a tax form used to report your income, calculate your tax liabilities and reconcile withholding taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Tax liabilities are the amount you owe to the IRS. Tax withholdings are the income tax that was deducted from each paycheck and sent to the IRS over the course of the year. By filing an annual tax return, it allows you to request a refund (if tax withholdings are more than tax liabilities) or remit payment (if tax liabilities is more than tax withholdings).

  • The form and instructions can be found on the IRS website. Filing the correct form allows you to report income that is subject to U.S. tax according to your particular situation and claim deductions and credits that apply to you. More detailed information about the correct form to use under different tax statuses can be found here.  Please note that the Form 1040-NR EZ has been discontinued and can no longer be used to file your federal tax return.  
  • Before you start filing your tax return, make sure that you have all your tax statements, e.g. 1042-S (if applicable to you), etc.
  • The deadline for filing your 2023 federal tax return is April 15, 2024. The mailing address may be different depending on the tax form you are filing, read the form instructions carefully.

State Income Tax Return Paperwork

For Louisiana state tax return information, please visit their website. The Louisiana income tax filing deadline is May 15, 2024.

Form 8843

Form 8843 is an informational statement required by the U.S. government for certain Nonresident Aliens. If you meet both criteria below, you must file Form 8843:

  • You were present in the U.S. during 2023 under F, J, M or Q immigration status.    This also includes dependents who were physically in the US in F-2 or J-2 status.
  • Your tax residency status is Nonresident Alien.
  • If you have NO income and you are filing ONLY Form 8843, you must complete, sign and mail it by June 15, 2024 to: Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service Center - Austin, TX 73301-0215
☑ Determine how you will file your tax paperwork

If You Are a Resident Alien for Tax Purposes and You Have Income to Report or a Tax Refund to Claim:

  • You may be eligible for Free File Software from the IRS website; or
  • You can purchase widely-available tax filing paperwork, such as Turbo Tax; or
  • You can also consult a certified tax accountant who is familiar with resident tax filing.

If You Are a Nonresident Alien for Tax Purposes and You Received Income from TULANE in 2023:

  • The International Tax Office has purchased GLACIER Tax Prep (GTP) to assist eligible Nonresident Aliens to prepare their federal tax return forms. You should receive e-mails from support@online-tax.net by January 31, 2024 with information about how to file your taxes through the Glacier Tax Prep system. If you do not receive the email about using Glacier or getting access to Glacier, please e-mail the International Tax Office (ITO): ito@tulane.edu.
  • Please note:  tax preparation services like H&R Block, TurboTax, and TaxSlayer are not equipped to support nonresident tax filing.
  • You can also consult a certified tax accountant who is familiar with nonresident tax filing.

If You Are a Nonresident Alien for Tax Purposes and You Received Income from OUTSIDE Tulane (CPT, OPT, Academic Training, etc.) in 2023:

  • Sprintax can be used to prepare federal and state taxes, and to prepare your required form 8843. For more information click here. 
    • OISS has a limited number of $5 federal tax preparation discounts codes from Sprintax; contact oiss@tulane.edu if you would like one.
    • OISS is partnering with Sprintax to present two tax webinars for international Students, Scholars and Professionals this tax season.  See flyers for the upcoming webinars below.  You can also view a previous presentation under Previous Tax Presentations at the bottom of this website.
    • Please note:  tax preparation services like H&R Block, TurboTax, and TaxSlayer are not equipped to support nonresident tax filing.
  • You can also consult a certified tax accountant who is familiar with nonresident tax filing.
☑ Review other available resources
  • VITA Program: The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers tax help for taxpayers who qualify. You can get free tax help by visiting VITA providers’ sites.  BE SURE TO ASK IF THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH NON-RESIDENT TAX FILING.
  •  To find one near you, click here.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: The information above is provided to you for your convenience. It is not intended to be a complete representation of all the I.R.S. income tax regulations. Tulane University disclaims all liability for the misinterpretation or misuse of these materials. In addition, ITO and the OISS do not provide personal tax advice and do not endorse any listed services. The OISS cannot provide further assistance with taxes or answer any questions you have about your personal tax obligations.

 

Tax FAQs

 

   Upcoming Tax Presentations

 

 Register for the Sprintax Webinar on 4/10/24 here

 

Register for the Form 8842 Presentation on 3/7/24 here

 

 

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Previous Tax Presentations

Sprintax Tax Information Webinar on February 8, 2024

Click here for the presentation

 

Form 8843 Workshop (virtual) on March 16th, 2023

sprintax

 

 Click here for PowerPoint