Office of International Student Services Newsletter

 Volume V, Number 19

· Go Global With CultureLink

Important Information

· 2007 Tax Information
· Feb 20. Deadline for Health Insurance Waiver.
 

Upcoming Activities

· Feb. 16-Salsa Valentine's Dance
· Feb. 14-A Lens on the World Exhibit
· Feb 20-21 -  Minnesota Private College Job and Internship Fair
· Feb 20-21- Multicultural Forum Career Fair

Interesting Article

· 24- Hour Nurse Hotline
· Paid Internship in Nonprofit Sector
·Apply to be Common Ground Hospitality Minister
· 2008-2009 Housing Reapplication Process Starts
· Healthy Dinner Special

All students who were on an F-1 or J-1 visa in the U.S. during any part of 2007 are required to file for taxes. Even if you did not work in the US during 2007, you are still required to complete U.S. tax forms.

OISS staff and advisors are not trained to answer tax questions or give advice about which forms to file or how to fill out forms. This is a complex and ever changing field and OISS staff and advisors have no expertise and are not permitted to give tax advice of any kind.

However, OISS will be offering several types of programs to nonimmigrant international students to assist them with their taxes. We encourage every F-1 or J-1 international student at UST to use the internet-based tax software called CINTAX in order to file your federal tax returns.
 

1. CINTAX Software
We have purchased an Internet-based tax software program called CINTAX which is a U.S. Tax Form Preparation Program designed specifically for international students and scholars in F-1, J-1, F-2 and J-2 status (This software is not applicable for students in H-1, L-1, TN or TD visa status and students who are considered ‘residents’ for tax purposes).

In order to use CINTAX please e-mail OISS at oiss@stthomas.edu to request your unique password to access the FREE CINTAX program on-line from any computer with access to the internet.

The instructions on how to use the CINTAX program will be emailed to you along with your password. Please read the instructions thoroughly and make sure you have all the documents listed before you begin.

After you have made an attempt to complete your taxes through CINTAX and you are in need of additional assistance we recommend that you stop by during our Drop-In Dates (see #2) or call OISS to make an appointment to meet with our tax professional (see #3).

2. Drop-In Tax Session Dates
We will offer four dates listed below when students can stop by OISS (MHC 161) and receive tax assistance from trained Accounting students from UST. Appointments are not required during these dates and we encourage you to stop by for assistance with your taxes. The following dates will be available for you to stop by OISS for tax assistance:

• Tuesday, March 11, 2008 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
• Thursday, March 13, 2008 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
• Tuesday, March 18, 2008 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
• Thursday, March 20, 2008 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

3. Schedule an Appointment to Meet with a Tax Professional (for complex issues)
On the four Sundays listed below, we will have a volunteer tax professional available who has been trained in international students’ tax forms and issues. The tax professional will give individual assistance to students to prepare your Federal and State tax forms (income tax and property tax). However, the tax professional will only assist students who have all their
W-2s and 1042s in hand and have tried to complete CINTAX. The tax professional will not assist students whose annual income is more than $30,000.

If you would like to meet with our tax professional, you MUST schedule an appointment. This is not a walk-in service, you will need to schedule an appointment beforehand. Please call the OISS front desk at 651-962-6650 to set up an appointment:

• Sunday, February 24, 2008 from Noon to 3 PM
• Sunday, March 9, 2008 from Noon to 3 PM
• Sunday, March 23, 2008 from 11 AM to 2 PM
• Sunday, April 6, 2008 from 11 AM to 2 PM

4. Additional Resources
The University of Minnesota is hosting Individual Tax Workshops on the following days:

Date: Every Thursday, February 14 through April 10, 2008
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: L-117 at Carlson School of Management

A group of volunteers comprised of working tax professionals, faculty, and graduate students trained in non-resident tax issues is available to help you. Volunteers will meet with international students and scholars on an individual basis to help complete 2007 tax returns. Volunteer preparers are trained to determine filing status and complete only non-resident, federal returns, as well as Minnesota state returns and property tax refund applications. Foreign nationals who are considered non-residents for tax purposes with income under $30,000 can be helped, including F, J, and some H, L visa holders.
 

Anyone seeking to complete a tax return should enter his or  information to CINTAX tax preparation software.

You must have the following documents prepared or you will not be served:

• Visa/Immigration Status;

• Passport;

• Form DS-2019, if J status individual;

• Form I-20, if F status individual;

• Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number;

• U.S. Entry and Exit Dates for current and past visits to the U.S.;

• Academic Institution or Host Sponsor Information (name/address/phone for Academic Director);

• Forms W-2, 1042-S and/or 1099 (if any);
  Scholarship/fellowship grant letter you may have received (if any);

• A copy of your 2006 federal income tax return (Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ)

• Certificate of rent paid in 2007, for Minnesota property tax refund consideration.