Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you recommend that I wait until February 15 to start preparing my tax returns?

 ·        We recommend you wait until February 15 to start preparing your tax return to make sure you have all necessary forms to actually prepare your returns. Forms W-2 and 1099 are required to be mailed by January 31. However, Form 1042-S provided by Purdue University will not be available until approximately February 15 (if applicable). We understand that you are usually eager to go ahead and file your tax returns, but to make sure you have all forms necessary to file your return correctly, we encourage you to wait until February 15. Additionally, all resources on this website will not be available (or finalized) until on or after February 15.

1. What is filing a US tax return and why do I need to do this?

   • All US-sourced income (nonresident aliens) or ALL worldwide income (resident aliens) or treaty exempt payment is reported by filing the annual US and state tax returns.

   • BOTH the free GTP (Glacier Tax Preparation) software in your Glacier account (COMPLETE MY US TAX RETURN), email notification only sent to nonresident aliens, and Purdue’s 1042-S form, also with an email notification, will be available mid-February.
     
     

2. What if I am a nonresident alien and I had NO US income during the year?

   • As a nonresident alien, even if you had no income for the tax year, Form 8843 will need to be filed to document your exempt (F, J, M or Q) Visa status and days in the US for the calendar year.  The form is available in the Glacier Tax Preparation module or you can get the Form 8843 at www.irs.gov, with instructions for completing and mailing it.
     
     

3. What forms may I be getting to report income?  Here are some common income forms.  You may just get one form, but may have more, based on what type of payments you received during the year.

   • Wages from a job not exempt from a treaty:  W-2 form, issued by 1/31 by an employer.  IF you presented your valid SSN before 1/5, and were an active employee, you may retrieve your Purdue-issued W-2 at https://my.adp.com.

   • Any payment exempt from tax due to a treaty (wages from a job or fellowship or taxable scholarship): 1042-S form, issued by 2/15/2023, uploaded into your Glacier account.

   • Any prize, award, human subject, or consulting payment for a nonresident: 1042-S form, issued by 2/15, uploaded into your Glacier account.

   • Any stock sales, dividends, or other payments from a broker:  1099-B, 1099-DIV or other 1099, issued by 2/15 by your broker online or mailed to you.

   • Interest from bank accounts: 1099-INT, issued by 2/15, by the payer, online or mailed to you.

   • Payments over $600 to resident aliens for prizes, awards, human subject:  1099-MISC, or consulting (1099-NEC):  mailed by 1/31 by payer.

   • Health Insurance coverage: 1095-B or 1095-C, issued in late March, and is not required for filing your tax return, thus the late mailing date.

   • Tuition Statement: 1098-T, uploaded in your MyPurdue account by February 15. NOTE: can only be used by Resident Aliens for education tax benefits on the 1040 return.

   • 1099-G: Unemployment or state refund from a prior year. If a state refund, and you itemized your deductions in your prior tax year, the refund may be income to report.
     
     

4. What if I submitted a tax treaty to Purdue, do I need to file a US tax return?

   • You must report all income exempt from US tax under a treaty (regardless of amount). Failure to report the treaty (will be reported on a 1042-S form) on your return may result in the IRS not accepting the treaty that Purdue allowed.  The IRS is the final approver of any treaty, and the US Federal and state tax filings complete the process.
     
     

5. What if the address on my W-2, 1042-S or other form, etc. is not my current address?

   • The address on the 1042-S, W-2 or any other form is not a critical field to correct as that was the address on file, current at that time.  Purdue will not issue a corrected form, so you do not need to request a corrected form.  Please list your CURRENT address on your US and state tax returns that you are preparing. This is the address the IRS and state look at for your “official address” for your return, NOT any address on a form.
     
     

6. Why do I have, or not have, a 1042-S form?

   • Unless a scholarship exceeded your tuition and fees, it is not taxable or reportable on a 1042-S form.

   • If you submitted a valid treaty for the year, and/or received a taxable scholarship/fellowship, prize, award or human subject or consulting payments, you will receive a 1042-S form that will be uploaded into your Glacier account, with an email notification, in mid-February.  You will need this form to file your tax return if it was issued to you.

   • You will have multiple 1042-S forms in your Glacier account if you had more than one type of payment listed above.

   • If you did not submit a valid tax treaty for the year in which you received payments from Purdue University, you do not have 1042-S form.  If you think you can claim a tax treaty, you can list the income adjustment on your tax returns.   You do not “create” your own 1042-S form; it is only issued by a payer.
     
     

7. How do I prepare and then file my (nonresident alien) US tax return 1040NR?

   • Use the free Glacier Tax Preparation software available in your Glacier account in mid-February following the end of the calendar year.  You will receive an email when it is available in your Glacier account IF you were a nonresident alien in the prior calendar year. The 1040NR return and Form 8843 will populate at the end of your GTP entries.  OR

   • Complete 1040NR and 8843 forms manually, found at www.irs.gov., OR

   • Pay a tax professional to prepare and assemble your return, usually around $200 - $250, depending on the complexity of your tax returns (federal and states)., OR

   • Schedule a drop-off tax return preparation service with VITA (Limited Availability) https://uwlafayette.org/1040nrtaxhelp/.

   • Regardless of which means you choose, the nonresident return must be printed, signed and dated, then assembled to be mailed, according to the printed instructions, with W-2, 1042-S, etc., copies attached to the signed forms. The IRS may take six to nine months (or more) to process the return.

   • The Indiana income tax return, also required to be mailed in, can be completed with help from the Daniels School of Business guidance module, or visit https://www.in.gov/dor/ for tax forms and instructions.

   • Send your tax returns to the address printed on the GTP, Sprintax or state form instructions.  DO NOT send your tax returns to Purdue, as we cannot forward your returns to the IRS or state on your behalf (or return them to you).
     
     

8. How do I file my (resident alien) US tax return 1040?

   • Resident Aliens report ALL worldwide income.

   • You can use the Purdue/United Way VITA program to get your taxes prepared and filed for FREE here: https://uwlafayette.org/mytaxes/ OR

   • You can electronically file your return with an online software program, OR

   • Manually complete forms found at www.irs.gov and www. in.gov (Indiana return) , OR

   • Pay a tax professional to prepare your returns.

   • Resident Aliens will not receive the GTP email notification, which is only for the (nonresident alien) 1040NR tax return software.

If you filed your 1040 Federal tax return electronically, the Indiana income tax return can typically be filed electronically as well or visit https://www.in.gov/dor/ for tax forms and instructions.

9. I filed my tax return, but do not have a confirmation or have not seen a refund I expected.  What do I do?

   • Once you mail your tax return, you will not get a confirmation of receipt for the return.  After 120-160 days, you may check the status of your return at www.irs.gov, “Where’s My refund?”  NOTE:  Any refund, due to tax withholding shown on a 1042-S form, may take six months or more to process.

   • If you moved after filing your tax returns, you should complete and mail a Change of Address Form 8822 to the IRS.  The form with instructions is found at www.irs.gov.

   • Not all tax returns result in a refund, but may have a balance due.  This is not unusual, but you should review your entries before filing.

   • A balance due indicates that there was not enough federal (or state) income tax withholding from your payments during the year compared to your year’s total income and filing status.

   • A refund indicates that there was more federal (or state) income tax withholding from your payments during the year compared to your year’s total income and filing status.
     
     

10. I do not have a SSN, and cannot get a SSN due to having no US employment.  How do I get an ITIN to file a tax return for scholarship or fellowship income?

    • An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is applied for only WITH a US tax return on the Form W-7.  Please read the W-7 instructions, found at www.irs.gov for the complete list of documents needed to complete the multi-step process.
      
      

11. I did not have US employment, but want to apply for an ITIN.  How do I get the NO EMPLOYMENT LETTER FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY?

    • Send your NO EMPLOYMENT LETTER request via email to tax@purdue.edu.

      • Include your PUID, full name and current address.

      • A staff member will send the letter via email in 5-7 business days of your request, after 2/15. The letter confirms you had no employment at Purdue. If you had any employment, you were required to obtain and present an SSN to Purdue.
        
        

12. What information do I enter on Form 8843 for the Director of Academic or other specialized program?

    • You will be asked to enter your “Academic Institution” information; please enter the following information:
      Academic Program Director Name: Christine Collins, Program Director | Telephone Number: 765-496-3538
      Academic Institution Address: 155 South Grant Street, Young Hall Room 525, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Please do not contact Ms. Collins, International Students and Scholars, or the Purdue Tax Department with Glacier Tax Prep technical support or software errors questions.  As mentioned below, all Glacier Tax Prep technical support (software issues only) is provided through email by emailing support@glaciertax.com.

13. How do address mail in the United States such as my tax returns?

    • We recognize the mail systems in countries can be quite a bit different. If you are unfamiliar with our system, please see this link: https://www.usps.com/ship/letters.htm#:~:text=Envelopes%3A%20Write%20your%20address%20(the,address)%20in%20the%20bottom%20center 

    • Make sure you have proper postage for your tax returns. You may want to take the piece of mail to a USPS office or substation. University Bookstore on State Street has a USPS substation.

 Purdue University staff provides general tax information to payees, based our understanding of the current tax laws.  We cannot provide specific tax guidance for taxpayers according to Circular 230 guidelines from the IRS. 

Please seek resources at www.irs.gov, www.in.gov (or other state’s websites for other state question) or professional tax guidance for direction for your specific situation.