Getting Help
Getting Help (this page) can be accessed at http://bit.ly/isstaxhelp
[Updated Feb 19, 2024]
For 2023 tax year (Jan-Dec 2023) for tax forms due April 15, 2024
IMPORTANT: if you wish to have assistance from FOCUS volunteers regarding the completion of your tax forms, please plan to file by Wednesday, April 10. Assistance will not be available from April 11 through April 21.
To stay informed about information related to nonresident tax returns (F & J visa), join our Facebook group: Tax Info for PDX ISS
The Most Important Piece of Advice
Don't Use TurboTax (or other products that don't prepare 1040-NR for federal return)
Don't file as a resident alien if you are a nonresident alien! How will you know? Sprintax will evaluate your status.
Nonresidents aliens file 1040-NR. The NR stands for "Nonresident." Sprintax (see below) will help you file the correct nonresident alien federal form: 1040-NR. If you want to use other tax preparation websites, confirm that they can prepare a 1040-NR for you.
Residents aliens file 1040. There are many online services that prepare the 1040 (for U.S. residents only). TurboTax is a popular service. You may have friends or relatives tell you that you should use it. But TurboTax does NOT prepare nonresident forms.
See this video by Sprintax/Turbotax on why nonresident aliens should not use TurboTax.
See PSU International Office's Tax Page
Review the information at https://www.pdx.edu/international-students/tax-information.
Get Help at This Website
Browse this website. Use the search box. Look at the menus and see the topics listed. As I receive new questions, I often add a page to cover that topic.
Quick Links to get started
Access this page at https://bit.ly/isstaxgetstarted
If you want an overview of the process, see Tax Prep Overview Using Sprintax
To understand your status, nonresident alien or resident alien, see Status
You can also enter your immigration information into Sprintax and Sprintax will notify you if your status is resident alien.
After you have entered your immigration information on the two "status" pages:
If you get to the "Getting to Know You" screen, then Sprintax has determined you are a nonresident alien.
If Sprintax determines you are a resident alien, after you have entered the two pages of immigration information, Sprintax will display a screen telling you that you are a resident alien. Follow that link to see your options.
If you did not have taxable income for the tax year, you only need to complete IRS Form 8843 (instructions). This can be completed without Sprintax.
If you did have taxable income,
Get started with "Sprintax Questions." There are screen shots and notes for almost all of the Sprintax entry screens.
NEW February 28, 2024: One-hour video walk-through: Using Sprintax.
For additional help options, continue with this page.
If you need any forms, see Download Forms. (If you are using Sprintax for your federal and state personal income tax returns, you will not need to download blank forms. Sprintax will compile PDFs containing your completed returns.)
After you have prepared your forms and are ready to submit them, see Submitting Tax Forms
If you need to correct a form that has already been submitted, see Correcting a Tax Form
If you have not received your refund by two months after submitting your tax forms, see Where's My Refund?
If your address has changed after submitting your tax forms, see Update Your Address
See the many other help pages listed on the "Other Topics" menu for other questions.
Information Presentations
See links for the following three Google Slides presentations at Taxes 101: Status, Work, Taxes
Introduction to residency status - resident or nonresident alien?
Employment & Taxes: A Timeline: between getting your SSN and filing your federal and state tax returns, is there anything you should be doing? (Answer? Oh, YES)
Will you get a refund? All the details that must be known to answer that question.
Getting Help with Federal and State Tax Forms
PSU has made arrangements for PSU students to use Sprintax (this is a PSU-specific link) to assist with completion of nonresident federal (1040-NR) and state (OR 40N) income tax forms for F and J visa nonresident aliens.
Sprintax is an online service that prepares nonresident federal income tax forms (1040-NR and 8843) and the appropriate state income tax forms.
Sprintax Discount Access Code (reducing the cost of the federal form to $0.00)
To reduce the Sprintax charge for preparing the 1040-NR, you will need the PSU-provided access code to remove the charge for the federal (1040-NR). If you only need to submit IRS Form 8843, there is no need to use Sprintax. See instructions at IRS Form 8843.
The access code will come to your PSU email address from the PSU international office. The office will be sending out three or four emails in February and March. Check your inbox for a message with the subject line "Tax obligations." If you are unable to find it, e-mail intl-services@pdx.edu with your PSU ID (so they can confirm you are a student) to request the access code if you cannot find the e-mails.
The access code will remove the cost for the federal form. But there will still be a charge to use Sprintax's prepared state tax forms and any other forms suggested by Sprintax. It is your decision whether to pay extra fees for Sprintax's assistance. See below for information about manually completing your Oregon Form 40N.
See more information for PSU students related to Sprintax.
Sprintax Webinars
Sprintax conducts webinars regarding filing your taxes and using Sprintax.
They are once or twice a week from February through the first half of April. See the schedule at PSU's Tax Information page.
Getting additional help with Sprintax's built-in help features.
As you work through the pages in Sprintax,
read carefully the text on the screen.
you will also find blue text pop-up links that will display additional information when clicked.
Refer to the Sprintax FAQ.
Use Sprintax's "Ask Stacy," their online chat.
Sprintax online chat will first search their large number of FAQs.
If the answer is not there, the Sprintax bot will interact with you.
The bot will produce an answer from your "live chat" question and then ask “Is your question similar to the answer below?”
If the answer is “no” you will be brought into the live chat where there is a real human interacting with you.
Use Sprintax's phone support. TIP: the closer you get to the deadline, the longer you will wait to speak with a "live" person.
Sprintax Blog: some topics have been addressed at the Sprintax Blog site.
As you go through the data entry screens in Sprintax, you can refer to companion "page" I have created for the Sprintax entry screens
Sprintax Questions: Common questions that are asked while entering data.
Drop-in Sessions (TBA)
Troubleshooting Sprintax
There is a possibility that some drop-in sessions may be scheduled. These will be announced through emails from the PSU international office.
What to expect at these help sessions
If possible, answering questions that Sprintax was not able to answer.
Answering questions about completed (or mostly completed) forms. Not sure you are using the correct form? We can take a look. (We will need to examine the forms you are using.)
Assistance with preparing the documents for submission. First, see Submitting Tax Forms
It is not possible for us to guide you step-by-step through all the data entry screens.
We are not able to confirm calculations. If you have entered your forms (such as W-2) correctly, the calculations will be correct.
Personal Assistance from Greg
Greg is available to assist students with questions about tax forms.
To request assistance from Greg, submit the form at http://bit.ly/isstaxq. This is required.
You only need to complete this form once per tax year.
The form will gather the information Greg needs to understand your status.
Briefly state your question in the form.
We will follow up by email or phone.
If needed, we will schedule a phone, Zoom, or in-person meeting.
Please do not use SMS or any of the other texting options (such as Facebook Messenger, We Chat, WhatsApp, Viber, etc.) for questions about taxes. I find it hard to follow all the chats on the messaging apps and I sometimes miss or ignore something by mistake.
Tax Parties with Greg
If you have a location to meet and there are eight (minimum) to twelve students (maximum) available to meet, we can have a tax party.
Bring your laptop and tax documents and Greg will be present to answer questions and give guidance as you work on your return.
To get the most benefit, prior to the tax party, participants must do the following:
You must have all of your tax documents either printed out or stored on your computer.
You must have created an account with Sprintax
You must have begun entering your information into Sprintax using help from this page.
You must have tried to get all the way through Sprintax.
If you have questions as you enter information, make your best guess and make notes about where you have uncertainty. We can answer those questions during the party.
By the end of the party, your forms should be complete!
To schedule a tax party, contact Greg.
Help with Oregon Form 40-N
If you wish to see an example of how 1040-NR is used to complete the Oregon Form 40-N, go to "CURRENT YEAR - Oregon" at http://bit.ly/isstaxor40ncy and see "An example of how 1040-NR is used to complete the OR 40-N"
Help Getting Your Social Security and Medicare taxes refund
If your employer withheld Social Security and Medicare taxes while your status is nonresident alien, see FICA.
Join Tax Info for PDX International Students and Scholars, a Facebook group for announcements and brief posts related to tax issues for F and J nonresident aliens.