(Questions 4 - 6)
This information is provided by the Office of International Education for your convenience. We are not legal tax advisors. Please consult an income tax advisor or company for tax laws and tax liability not covered here.
Please note
Belmont business students offer assistance in filling out tax forms through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Please contact Brad Childs, 460-6485, childsb@mail.belmont.edu or Marilyn Young, 460-5551, youngm@mail.belmont.edu for more information.
Also note that the links to forms on this page require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available here).
4) Can I deduct the costs of my education from my income to reduce or eliminate my federal taxes?
Alas, most students must answer 'no' to this question, but there are a few students who can answer 'yes.' You can only deduct the cost of your education at Belmont if you have already worked in the field that you're studying now and if your current studies will not prepare you for a new field of work.
If, for example, you have a BS degree in architecture, have worked as an architect, and are studying for the MS in architecture, you can probably deduct your 2008 educational expenses (tuition, fees and possibly living expenses) from your 2008 income. Students who have previously worked in their fields and are currently studying for masters degrees in law, business, education and other professions can often deduct educational expenses as well. If, on the other hand, you've never worked in the field that you're currently studying, there's no doubt: you cannot deduct your educational expenses.
If you think you may be able to deduct your educational expenses, please see Internal Revenue Service Tax Topic 513, 'Educational Expenses.' If you decide that you can deduct educational expenses you may need a copy of IRS Form 2106, 'Employee Business Expenses,' IRS Form 2106 instructions. in addition to your other tax forms.
5) Can I at least deduct my travel and living expenses from my income to reduce or eliminate my federal taxes?
Once again, alas, the answer is 'no' in most cases. But the answer is yes for a few students: if you are a federal tax nonresident and your entire educational program in the U.S. lasts less than one year (that's 365 days), you can treat your stay in the U.S. as a 'business trip' and deduct your airfare, rent, local transportation expenses and part of a $51 per day allowance for food from your income. If you will be in the U.S. less than one year for your educational program, please see, Courses of Study of Less than One Year: Travel Expense Deductions under Private Letter Ruling 9151014, in addition to the other tax documents that you need.
6) Is there a tax treaty between my country and the United States that can save me money on my federal income taxes?
For many visiting faculty and students, the answer is 'yes'. Please consult IRS Publication 901. Pages 15 - 18 list information for Professors, Teachers and Researchers and pages 18 - 27 list countries and tax treaties as they apply to students.
With your answers to the above questions in hand...
...you are now ready to select the IRS forms and publications and the information sheets appropriate to your situation.
If you were a nonresident for federal income tax purposes and:
you had no U.S. source income in 2008: select NR-No Income: Federal Income Tax Filing Information for F-1 and J-1 Students and Scholars Who Had No U.S. Source Income in 2007 for help in filling out Form 8843.
you had U.S. source income in 2008: you should select 1040NR-EZ Instructions (Page 1) and 1040NR-EZ Instructions (Page2) unless one of the following conditions applies to you:
- your 2008 income was $100,000 or more, or
- you were married and you can claim an exemption for your spouse (you can claim an exemption for your spouse only if your spouse did not work and you are from Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea or India), or
- you can claim educational expenses or living expenses, or
- you had dividend or capital gains income
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you will need to use IRS Form 1040NR ( Please contact the Office of International Education, 460-5500, internationaled@mail.belmont.edu for assistance.)
In addition, regardless of whether you IRS Form 1040NR-EZor IRS Form 1040NR, you will need to complete IRS Form 8843. You must attach this form to your Form 1040NR-EZ or your Form 1040NR.
Please note, Belmont business students offer assistance in filling out tax forms through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Please contact Brad Childs, 460-6485, childsb@mail.belmont.edu or Marilyn Young, 460-5551, youngm@mail.belmont.edu for more information.
