I was working full time in my department as TA throughout the year 2008. I paid all the taxes. Yesterday I filed for the tax return using CINTAX (my school uses that). At last it said: 'You still need to pay $---.00 as tax'.

What the hell is this? Any suggestions or experiences?

It looks like  you are filing your tax for the first time-first year in US. There are few things you need to understand:

1. Amount of Tax you need to pay is subject your TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME.

2. Your TAX WITHELD wrt your income( which you think in your word "I paid all the taxes") may still be insufficient, in that case you will have to pay extra amount -which is indicated in your CINTAX. So you should pay the remaining tax.

REMEMBER- IT IS YOU ARE FILING TAX RETURN-NOT REFUND, meaning if your tax withheld is higher than it is supposed to be wrt your annual income, you will get refund, else, you have to pay!

hope it helps!

Thanks. :)

We understood that you are filing 1040  not 1040 NR? Is that correct? Are you single or family man? Can you file 1040 or have to file 1040 NR? If a family man do your family has SS Number? if not do they have ITIN number?

Check with other tax preperation software, Taxact.com and turbotax are allowing free tax filing for federal.Check with them too, compare.

If you have time and you are planning to stay long in this country, go to post office or library and get tax filing books and forms , collect 1040 EZ if your are single collect 1040 for family . Do your simple home work , will help you to understand a lot. Once you study and do online filing gives you a  lot ideas. And you will say,  ZEE "why did I ask that question".  Good luck.

 

Syanjali ko ta buddhi paryo, aru lai phasaune bhanda aru kam kehi gardaina. If he is filing through Cintax he is filing as a Non resident that means 1040 NR or 1040 NREZ. And dont give other bad advice like filing through taxact.com or others. Those are only for resident. If u file as a resident later u will be in  a big trouble. I have seen this happened.
Thanks

You can still file as a resident if your stay has been at least 5 years in US. And 5 year means that even if your date of entry was 31 Dec 2000, it will still be counted as one Full year. Then you can use Taxact, turbo tax etc. I hope this helps.

Seems he (Syanjali) never had to use that software, means he did not go to college or university in USA.  Even did, never filed 1040 NR. Ha Ha ha, samarty aaaaaaaaa.

Do you know that you can itemize your books, stationery and related expenses as well as mandatory expenses while filing NR and gives you more refund????  I heard so And University never will not suggest about itemize. Any thought on this matter?

 

If you work full time and go part time school - your standard deduction will always be higher than itemized deductions. Thus, for tax purposes standard deductions will be used. Is that right - tax experts? 

I read all the comments and I would suggest the same as Kanchu did. Seems like your status is F1 so you have to file 1040NR. And when you file that most of the time you owe federal taxes. But it doesnot mean that you owe all the time, it all depends on your W-2 info i.e how much they have already withheld so and so....If you go to IRS website and just read the instruction for 1040NR you will get feel for it how it is calculated. Hope that helps.

Thanks for your input. I did not know that CINTAX was developed by Columbia University and designed for International Student.  If someone does not go to Columbia which software they have to choose?

 Do you get Standard Deduction as well personal exemption like residence? IF no what other options we have to maximize refund? Any one can highlight on this.

Guys, what is the implication of filing wrong form? What OPT are supposed to file? What kind of problems will it create later on if wrong tax form is filed? Will it effect in future H1b stamping or EB2 filing (green card) ?

Syanjali, thaha nabhaye ko bhaye kina sallaha didai hide ko ta. Ani CINTAX most of the university le free ma aphno student lai dincha, columbia University ko lai matra haina. Cintax.com bata charge tirera pani garna sakincha.
Ani residence le jati deductions pauna, ki illegal tarika le ma residence ho bhanera bharne paryo (i dont suggest that) ki Dv pareko huna paryo ya Kuireni chyapeko hunu paryo.

Many people are suggesting to use 1040NR form to file in F1 status. THIS IS WRONG GUYS. You have to file 1040NREZ whether you are married or single if you are in F1 and present in the US for less than 5 years.

The tax law in the US does not provide any deduction or exemptions for the spouse or dependent child if you are in the F1 visa. Only thing you can itemize as deductions are the taxes (state or anything) that you pay. If you are using cintax, you know what I am talking about. Everybody is single for tax purpose and should use 1040NR-EZ. You will definitely think, it's unfair. Sure; it is but it still is the law of this "great" land.

Kharire:

Someone has posted this and may be related to your question.

Babaal: स्याङ्जालिले साझाकोहिरो लाई माथ् गर्ने भएकी क्याहो ?

I found some online web for Non resident alien , I tried to check on it how it works  but got stocked in the middle of nowhere.

Seems It is very tough to file 1040 NR. Here I got stocked.

http://www.outtheresomewhere.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/pashupatinath-baba03.gif