International Student Tax & Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) FAQs
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I did not think I had to pay taxes in the US. Why do I need to fill out this form? You do not file a return to pay
taxes in the US, unless you owe. Keep in mind that as an F-1 student you are required to submit a tax return
while studying in the US. If you were present in the US at any time during 2014, you will need to report the
number of days you were in the US to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Also, if worked in the US last year,
you are required to report how much money you earned, and how much taxes were withdrawn from your
wages. For most international student who did work in the US, many receive a refund from the federal
government for a portion of the taxes that was withdrawn from their wages.
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I do not understand why this is important. What are the consequences of not filing?
1) One of the conditions of your visa is to comply with US law.
2) If you are eligible for a tax refund and do not file a return to claim it, you will not receive the
refund.
3) If you owe taxes and do not file, the IRS can assess penalty and interest and seize US bank assets for
repayment. Fine and penalties can often amount to more the original tax debt.
4) There can also be immigration consequences for failing to file taxes. Applicants for permanent
residency “green card” are frequently asked to show proof of tax filing for previous years in the US.
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How much does GTP cost? Thunderbird has purchased the license for Thunderbird students to use GTP. The
cost of the license is not passed on to the students, therefore it is free!
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Where do I sign up? Once you are notified that you can file your returns, you can click on the GTP link
embedded in the International Student 2014 Tax Preparation email, or log into to
MyThunderbird/International Student Information/Taxes and click the Login button for GTP
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What is the access code to activate my GTP account? The access code is in the International Student 2014 Tax
Preparation Help will be sent in an email. Please read the email in entirety to get started.
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I used Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) last year but I am having trouble logging in. Do I need to create a new account? If
you used GTP last year your logging information is still the same but you must use the new access code
provided in the International Student 2014 Tax Preparation email sent to you.
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I have created an account and used the access code but I am still having problems logging in. Who can help me?
For GTP technical support click the Help link for assistance. Glacier does not accept telephone calls or emails.
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I used another tax preparation program/service and filed my tax return electronically. Is that OK? No.
International students cannot file their tax return electronically. Also, these software programs are not
equipped with the appropriate tax forms (1040NR or 1040NR-EZ and Form 8843) needed for international
students to report properly. International students can only submit paper forms to the IRS.
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I did not work in the US last year. Why do I have to submit a tax form? All international students in F or J
status must submit a tax return as it is required to maintain your lawful immigration status. Even if you did
not work in the US during 2014 but was present in the country at any time during the year, you must report
the number of days you were present inside of the US. Filing a tax return with the US IRS is the lawful manner
to take care of this responsibility.
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I arrived in the US on December 31, 2014. Do I have to complete a tax return? Yes. If you were present in the
US at any time during 2014 even on December 31st you must file a tax return.
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I have dependents here in the US. Do I need to report them also? Yes. Dependents in F-2 or J-2 status must
also file Form 8843 with the IRS. This can be completed on GTP.
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I worked in the US last year but for only 3 months. Do I need to submit a report? Because you earned wages
last year and were present in the US last year, you will need to use this tax reporting program.
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Last year I worked as an intern and as a TA and was paid for both jobs. Am I supposed to receive a refund after
this tax filing? You could possibly receive a refund depending on the amount of taxes paid on the wages
earned. If you paid more taxes than necessary based on your income, you may be due a refund. If you paid
less taxes than necessary based on your income, then you may owe additional taxes.
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Is my tuition for last year eligible to report on the tax return? As an international student you are not eligible to
claim tax deduction for tuition. However, there are certain exceptions when a nonresident alien (F or J status)
has elected to be treated as a US resident for tax purposes or if they are married to a US citizen. It all depends
on the specific individual circumstances. This IRS link might be helpful with respect to tax benefits for
education http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf (see page 16).
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Do I need a social security number (SSN) to report my taxes? In most case you are required to enter your SSN.
If you do not have an SSN but are eligible to get one, you should request a letter from the International
Student Services office. It takes the Social Security Administration (SSA) about 2 to 4 weeks to process the
SSN.
If you are not eligible for the SSN (i.e. you do not have employment) you must enter your Individual
Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The ITIN is a 9 digit number issued by the IRS to individuals who do
not have or are not eligible for the SSN. You can complete the form W-7 for the ITIN in GTP to mail with your
tax return. You will also need to submit a certified letter from your home country that they have verified your
passport.
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How can GTP help me get a tax refund? GTP uses the IRS’ tax formula to compute the amount of wages
earned, your level of taxation based on the wages earned, and the number of days you were in the US to
determine whether you are eligible to receive a refund and amount, or whether you owe and the amount.
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What is the average amount of refund an international student may receive? Last year, the average refund
claimed by Thunderbird students was $872.48.
When is the deadline to file? If you received wages last year in the US the tax return is due April 15, 2015. If
you did not receive a wage in 2014 but was present in the US at any time during 2014 in F or J status, the tax
return is due June 15, 2015.
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I found the GTP very easy to use. Now where to I send my forms? After printing and signing your forms, make
a copy for your files and mail the original tax forms to:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0215
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Do I need to file a tax return for Arizona? If you earned wages in Arizona last year you will need to report your
earnings. The deadline to file the Arizona tax return is April 15, 2014. The Arizona tax form can be found MTB.
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Do international students often owe money to the US government? It depends. If an insufficient amount of
taxes were withheld from your paycheck, you must pay the additional tax when you file your tax return. The
IRS has a formula to compute the necessary taxes you should have paid and determine if you are due a refund
or owe additional taxes. Last year only 1 student had to pay taxes.
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How can I find out if my country has a tax treaty with the US? GTP will figure this out for you based on the
citizenship information you enter in the tax reporting program.
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I have questions about the items requested on the form. Can I meet with you to discuss them? Thunderbird
employees are not tax experts. You click the Help link on GTP to communicate with a tax expert, or call the
IRS at 1-800-829-1040 for assistance.
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Can I let my friend from another school use this tax program? No. Thunderbird has purchased a license that is
to be used by Thunderbird students only. Students from other schools who use Thunderbird’s license are
stealing a slot from a Thunderbird student. This is a violation of the license agreement.
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Can US or permanent residents use this tax program? No. GTP is designed to be used by students in F or J
status. Resident aliens may use a tax preparation program i.e., TurboTax, etc., or company i.e., H&R Block to
file their tax return.