Taxes
Please check your email for information from the ISSC about using Sprintax, a web-based software to assist in the preparation of your tax returns.
What's most important to know about U.S. and Massachusetts tax filing requirements?
- All United States and Massachusetts Income Tax forms (also called tax returns) must be postmarked by April 15 of each year for the previous calendar year's (Jan-Dec) income information.
- All international students and scholars who were in the US for part or all of the year must complete and mail Form 8843, even if they earned no income in the United States.
- International students and scholars may not e-file their forms.
- The International Student & Scholar Center staff is NOT qualified to provide any group or individual tax advice or assistance.
View detailed tax information to learn more about taxes.
Questions about taxes
The U.S. Government, like most governments, collects a tax on money that employees earn, and it is taken directly out of your paycheck before you receive it. The state in which you work, and sometimes the local city or town in which you live, also collect taxes based on income people earn while employed.
Most people who were legally employed in the United States in a calendar year (Jan-Dec) by a US-based employer are required to file tax forms (or tax returns) both with the U.S. Government's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the state in which you are employed (Massachusetts, in most cases.)
All international students and scholars on visa types F-1 and J-1, and their dependents on F-1 and J-2 must file form 8843 whether or not they were employed.
There is a filing deadline of April 15 each year for the previous calendar year's (Jan.-Dec.) tax information. Please remember that international students and scholars may not file the returns electronically, but must print them out and send them through the U.S. mail, with the W-2 and other required documents attached, as the software will direct you.
A tax treaty is an agreement between your country and the United States to exempt you from paying federal income tax. You are still required to file the income tax paperwork with the IRS.
Please see the ISSC's tax email outlining Sprintax information and resources. Also, many citizens and permanent residents hire tax experts or use software to assist them in completing their forms, especially if they have more than one employer or own property, for example.
Some examples are:
- U.S. Government income taxes. This tax program is administered by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Massachusetts State Income Taxes
Most frequently used tax forms
Form 8843
Anyone in these visa types must file this form each year, even if you were not employed: F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, M-1, M-2, Q-1, Q-2.
W-2 issued by employers in the US and mailed to your local or campus mailing address, shows your total earnings for the year, what was deducted for US Federal tax, Massachusetts tax, and any other deductions relevant to filing taxes. Some W-2s are accessible electronically.
Form 1042-S sent by Student Employment to your University email address, tells you if your country has a tax treaty with the U.S. and how your earnings were affected by this agreement.
Form 1098-T mailed to your local or campus mailing address, indicates the amount paid to the University as tuition and fees. International students do not use 1098-T for tax purposes.
Form HC-1099 mailed to your local mailing address from your health insurance company saying that you have had health insurance in Massachusetts for at least part of the previous tax year. This form is necessary for your Massachusetts tax submission.
Massachusetts (State) Tax Forms are available at dor.state.ma.us. We recommend that you complete your US federal tax forms first because you can use some of that information to help complete your Massachusetts (MA) forms.