News

2003 Tax Bulletin

from

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)

Boston University

You have probably heard that the deadline for filing taxes is coming soon, and we at the ISSO would like to offer some resources to help you with this process. In this bulletin, we will address the following questions:

• Do I need to file a U.S. income tax return this year?  (Answer:  Almost certainly.)
• Can the ISSO help me complete my tax return?  (Answer:  No, but we'll do something even better!)
• Which tax forms must I file?  (Answer:  It depends on time in the U.S. and whether you've worked.)
• Where can I obtain these forms?  (Answer:  We'll give you 5 locations, one being your own computer!!)
• When must I file my tax return?  (Answer:  It depends; either April 15, 2003 or June 17, 2003.)
• Where can I turn for help, now or in the future? (Answer:  We'll tell you below.)

Do I need to file a U.S. income tax return this year?

Students in F-1 or J-1 status. If you were employed last year, the answer is YES.  If you were not employed last year, the answer is YES.  In other words, the answer is YES. 

Students in some other immigration status.  If you are in some other immigration status and you worked last year, the answer is almost certainly YES.  If you are in some other immigration status and did not work last year, the answer is MAYBE.  It may depend upon your status and whether or not you received a scholarship.  Read on and we'll tell you how you can find out if you need to file a tax return this year.

Can the ISSO help me complete my tax return?

YES and NO.  We're not tax experts; we're visa and immigration experts.  NO, we can't sit down with you and help you complete your tax return.  But YES, we can and have done something very significant to help you.  We've arranged for an expert on taxes and international students to present five FREE tax information seminars on campus.

The Boston University Tax Workshops for International Students and Scholars will be held:

We invite you to attend one of these sessions.  Please bring with you any W-2 forms, 1042S forms, and any other income reporting forms such as the 1099INT or 1099DIV you may have received from an employer, a school, a bank, or any other source. We will provide the necessary forms and instructions for completing them at the workshop.

Which tax forms must I file?

Find yourself on the following table, and you will learn which forms you must file:

A special note to scholarship students:  If you had a scholarship and received a Form 1042S in the mail, U.S. tax law says that you earned wages subject to U.S. tax withholding and you must file a tax return.  In the table above, the forms you must file are the same as those for a student who has worked.

Where can I obtain these forms?

Know how to download from the Web and print?  Try the following:

• U.S. Federal Government forms - http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html
• Massachusetts state government forms - http://www.dor.state.ma.us/forms/formsIndex/taxformsPERSONAL.htm

Want to get actual paper forms?  Try one of the following:

• Boston University Tax Workshops for International Students and Scholars held on March 18, March 24, April 3, April 9, or April 11 (for details, see the section above entitled "Can the ISSO help me complete my tax return?")
• Boston University Mugar Library (while available)
• Boston Public Library (basement level)
• U.S. Post Offices (state tax forms, only, while available)

When must I file my tax return?

For Massachusetts state taxes:

Your return is due April 15, 2003.

For U.S. Federal taxes:

If you received a form W-2 for 2002, your return is due April 15, 2003.

If you did not receive a form W-2 for 2002, your return is due June 15, 2003.

Where can I turn for help, now or in the future? 

U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Boston Office. The IRS office in Boston has walk-in help available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Saturdays 8:30 am to 12 noon. They are located on the 7th floor of the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Federal Building in Government Center. You can also telephone the office at (617) 316-2850.

U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You can telephone the IRS national help line at (800) 829-1040. You can also visit their new and significantly improved Web site at http://www.irs.gov.

Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Boston Office. You can telephone the office at (617) 887-6367.

Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). You can telephone the DOR statewide help line at (800) 392-6089. You can also visit their Web site at http://www.dor.state.ma.us/.

Association of International Educators (NAFSA). You can find online tax resources at http://www.nafsa.org/content/AboutInternationalEducation/Resources/taxsites.html.

Tax consultants and tax attorneys
You have the option of hiring a private agency or lawyer to assist you in reporting your taxes and to file your return. A listing can be found in a phone directory or at www.bigyellow.com under a category such as "tax returns, consultants, & representatives." If you choose to hire a private agency or lawyer, we strongly recommend that you make certain they specialize in international tax issues.

A caution about information contained in this Bulletin
To the best of our knowledge, all information contained in this Bulletin is correct. It should not be your only source of tax information, however, and you should not take action based upon this information without confirming its accuracy with an authoritative source, a number of which are listed above.

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)
We are not tax experts. We know that you are concerned about your tax responsibilities, and we try to help you with those responsibilities by providing you with general information, like that contained in this message, and by organizing tax workshops. If you have questions or need assistance with visa or immigration matters, or with matters related to your studies or life on campus, we are eager to provide you with what we believe are very professional and comprehensive services.

International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)
Boston University
19 Deerfield Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215
Telephone: (617) 353-3565
Facsimile: (617) 358-1170
E-Mail: isso@bu.edu

ISSO
Boston University
February 28, 2005