J1 Tax Refund Service

Normally it takes around 10 - 12 weeks from the day your file is received by the tax office to the day you get your cheque. Sometimes it takes longer for various reasons but we’ll make sure to keep up to date with your case and ring the tax office frequently to get them to issue your refund faster.

CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant, a trained US tax professional trusted by the IRS to ensure tax returns are compliant with US tax law. Our CPA will review your application to make sure it complies with tax law.

For US Federal tax returns we charge $60 + handling fee

Add in a State tax return for $30 + handling fee

For a state tax return on its own we charge $50 + handling fee.

If you are due a small refund from the US that does not cover our minimum fee, Taxback.com offers a reduced fee to allow you to meet your US tax filing obligations and file your tax return. Your Account Manager can discuss the fees with you in more detail if you have any questions.

Yes. By law you are required to file one if you earn more than the following:

• 2015 - US$4000
• 2014 - US$3950
• 2013 - US$3900

If you don’t file a tax return, you could incur fines and affect your future visa applications. Earning under a certain amount may exempt you from having to file a tax return, but we recommend you file one anyway as you may be owed a tax refund.

A tax return is document declaring the liability for taxation while a tax refund is the overpayment made for a particular tax. We file your tax return in order to get your tax refund

You will need to provide either a;

1. Final Cumulative Pay slip OR W2 Form/1042-S form
2. Your social security number/ITIN number

Often we can use your final cumulative pay slip to start applying for your refund but some states require you to submit a W2/1040-S form. You will receive this form at the end of the tax year.

This is a pay slip which is given to you along with your final pay slip and states all your earnings and taxes you were charged during the year.

The W2 form is a form you receive at the end of the tax year which states your total earnings and amount you've been taxed over the past year.

Students, teachers or trainees on J or F visa will usually receive a 1042-S form instead of a W2. The 1042-S outlines your scholarships, fellowships or grants you received, as well as tax treaties you're entitled to.

ITIN stands for Individual Tax Identification Number. If you’ve lost your social security number or you never got one, we can arrange an ITIN for you for only $120 so we can start applying for your tax refund.

Don’t’ worry; our documents retrevial team can find them for you, or get new ones, for a small fee.

You will pay three taxes

1. Federal Tax - usually at 10% for temporary workers
2. State Tax - varies between 1 - 13% depending on what state you worked in
3. Local Tax - A city/county tax

You may also be charged FICA tax but you're not meant to be. If you've been charged FICA tax talk to us today about getting your refund.

Federal, state and local tax, plus a FICA refund if you've been charged it

You can follow the step-by-step progress of your US tax refund application through your personal, secure, online Tax Tracker® account. It allows you to see every update and action taken on your case, as well as any additional information or documents we need from you

No. There is no legal way for non-residents to e-file. Beware of companies who say they can file this online for you.

You will probably be deemed a non-resident for tax purposes when you first start working in the US. As a non-resident for tax purposes, you must file a non-resident 1040NR Tax Return. It is only when you pass the Substantial Presence Test that you will be deemed a resident for tax purposes

The Substantial Presence test is a test which will allow you status as a resident for tax purposes once you pass it. To pass it you must have been physically present in the US for:

• 31 days of the current year
• 183 days over the last three years

To calculate the 183 days, you can include all of the days you were present in the US over the current year, 1/3rd of the days you were present for the year before, and 1/6th of the days you were present in the US in the year before that.

You may take the Substantial Presence Test after you have been in the US for five years (on a F, J, M or Q visa) or two years (on a work and travel, researcher or trainee J or Q visa). Once you pass it you will be considered a resident for tax purposes.

You can apply for your tax refund at the end of the US tax year which runs from January to December.

How much you get back will depend on your individual circumstances, but Taxback.com will endeavor to get you back the maximum legal tax refund possible. That amount depends on factors like:

• Your visa
• Your earnings
• What state you worked in
• How long you worked for

The average refunds we get for our clients on J, Q, F, M, and H visas is between $520 and $1118 so apply today

No, we can’t but we can guarantee that we will make sure you get back everything that you are legally entited to. Our tax calculator gives a pretty accurate estimation of what you’ll get but we need to see some other documents to know for certain what you are due back.

It’s unlikely. We’ll check your situation and file a tax return that is 100% compliant with US tax laws on your behalf.