Information for filling your 2008 taxes

All students who were on an F-1 or J-1 visa in the U.S. during any part of 2008 are required to file for taxes. Even if you did not work in the US during 2008, 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, we have purchased an Internet-based federal tax preparation program called CINTAX and we encourage every F-1 or J-1 international student at UST to use this tax preparation program to complete their federal taxes.

CINTAX

CINTAX is 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 email OISS at oiss@stthomas.edu to get your unique password to access the FREE Cintax program on-line from any computer with access to the internet. 

Please read the instructions thoroughly and make sure you have ALL the documents listed before you begin. The documents you will need are as follows:

• 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 2008, for Minnesota property tax refund consideration.

 After you have made an attempt to complete your taxes through Cintax and you are in need of additional assistance we recommend that you contact  Gary Carter at http://www.thetaxguy.com/index.html who is a top-notch international tax accountant in the Twin Cities.You can also get forms and information on Federal and State taxes from these two government websites:

US: http:www.irs.gov/

State of Minnesota: www.taxes.state.mn.us

Nonimmigrants who do not have a US Social Security Number must apply for an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification) number from the IRS and use this number on your tax forms.

You can obtain an ITIN number by downloading the application, Form W-7, from http://www.irs.ustreas.gov or by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-3676.

Please find below information about the 2008 Income Tax Forms and Assistance for UST International Students and instructions for Cintax, the tax software OISS has selected to help you file your taxes.

2008 Tax Information.doc (MS Word Document)  

Remember the deadline for filing your taxes is April 15, 2009 and EVERYONE must file!

Links

Federal Return

1. www.irs.gov
2. 8843 Form
3. 1040NR
4. 1040NR Instructions
5. 1040NR-EZ
6. 1040NR-EZ Instructions
7. 8863 Form (Education Credit)

Minnesota Return

1. Minnesota Revenue
2. M1
3. M1 Instructions
4. MIPR
5. M1PR Instructions

Post Office-Minneapolis
100 S 1st Street
Minneapolis, MN 55401

Phone: (800) ASK-USPS

This location is open until 11:59 p.m. on April 15.