Submitting J1 Tax Claim Offline

To submit your tax return off line :

1. Just simply click on the icon below
2. Download the document
3. Print off the 9 pages
4. Fill out the sections as much as you can.
5. Post it to us in either to Chicago USA or Dublin, Ireland if you live in Europe.

Download the documentation

Again you should allow 3 to 6 weeks for processing before you can expect to get your tax return cheque. In fact submitting all the forms like this will speed up your application and it should be completed sooner !

1. FICA (Social Security Tax, figured at 6.2% of the first $97,500 of wages)
2. Medicare (health insurance, can be separate depending on your provider, and is 1.45% of all wages)
3. State tax (taxes that go to the state you live in, some states don’t have this. Rates can vary)
4. Local tax (taxes that go to the local authorities, like your city that you live in. Rates can vary.)
5. Federal tax (taxes that go to the federal government, rates depend on your salary.

J1 visa holders are exempt from FICA (Social Security or Medicare) taxes for two years . This more than covers the length that a typical J1 student will stay in the USA. You need to make sure that you are registered as a non-resident. Once you are a non-resident you start to get an exemption on your deductions.On your wages slip you should see itemized deductions.

Start the process

Once your return to your home country, it’s possible to file for a return of these taxes. Typical processing time can take up to 2 months, so it’s important that you start your claim as soon as you come back.

J1 2007 Survey

Question: Are you Male or Female ?
Results:

• Male : 57%
• Female : 43%

Question: What this the first time you were ever in the United States of America ?
Results:

• Yes: 73%
• No: 27%

Question: Did you travel to the US alone ?
Results:

• Yes: 9%
• No: 91%

Question: Was your group mixed (male/female)
Results:

• Yes: 76%
• No : 24%

Question: Did you stay on the East Coast / West Coast / Central
Results:

• East Coast : 55%
• West Coast : 39%
• Central : 6%

Question: Did you manage to save money while on a J1 ?
Results:

• Yes: 45%
• No : 19%
• Came out even : 36%

Question: Did you stay with the original job you came out to do ?
Results:

• Yes: 67%
• No : 33%

Question: What age were you when you did the J1 ?
Results:

• 18: 4%
• 19 : 13%
• 20 : 42%
• 21 : 27%
• 22 : 11%
• 23+ : 3%

Question: How did you find the processing of your J1 Tax Return
Results:

• Fantastic, much better than expected : 14%
• Better than expected :34%
• Average / As expected: 31%
• Below Average: 18%
• Useless: 3%

• J work and travel visa: $520
• J or Q internship visa: $899
• J, F or M student visa: $1005
• J researcher visa: $877
• Green card holder: $1118
• H1B/H2B/H3 visa: $731

As you can see it is possible to get a nice return, so it is definitely something you should consider doing. The more you’ve worked in the US (and earned) the likely hood is that you will get a bigger return.

Tax Back Fees

TaxBack.com charges 10% of your Tax return value, or a minimum value of $75. This covers all the costs, paid to the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and to TaxBack.com. For the ease of use, and compared to the amount you will get back, this is still a great price. We’ve used TaxBack.com in the past, and we were always very please with their service. They also have a new online tracking tool, where you can see the progress of your application, see how much you can expect to get back, and an estimate of when you should get it back.

Tax Forms

Here is a complete listing of what forms are responsible for what tax claim :

• Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
• Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number
• Form SS-8, Determination of Worker Status
• Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement
• Form W-2C, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement
• Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements
• Form W-3C, Transmittal of Corrected Wage and Tax Statements
• Form W-2 and W-3 Instructions
• Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate
• Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments
• Form W-5, Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate
• Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
• Form 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax Return
• Form 940EZ, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax Return
• Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return
• Form 941, Schedule B, Employer’s Record of Federal Tax Liability
• Form 941C, Supporting Statement to Correct Information
• Form 943, Employer’s Annual Tax Return for Agricultural Employees
• Form 1040ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals
• Form 1040, Schedule H, Household Employment Taxes
• Form 8850, Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity and Welfare-to-Work Credits

J1 Tax Forms

The important forms to have when applying for your tax back are

• Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement

If you don’t have your W-2 form anymore TaxBack.com can apply on your behalf to get a new one issued. You need this and your SSN (Social Security Number), and when you submit this you can start the process to get your J1 taxback.

If you have worked in the US on a J1 VISA in the last 4 years you are entitled to receive most of your tax back. All you need to do is to apply !

If you have any questions regarding your J1 Tax Returns, or any other related topics, you can contact us or you can leave a comment on any of our articles. Our staff will respond to you as soon as they can, and as always will bring your the best advice.

By doing the return online you are saving a lot a hassle, TaxBack.com will email you some forms to print out, sign and return. And the only other thing you need to do is send them a copy of your last pay cheque (of pay check in the US ;)).

Getting this money back will surely make your next  year in University/College that little bit easier. Remember it’s money you are entitled to, so don’t be shy about applying.