Taxes

The federal tax rate is the same for all US states. The rate is assessed annually by the Congress according to the common tax policy of the country. This tax is obligatory for every juridical and physical person working in the USA. Internal Revenue Services (IRS) is in charge of all proceedings related to the federal tax. All taxes and refunds come from the federal budget.

All the revenues from these two type of taxes go to the federal budget and their rate is the same for all the states. Paying them is obligatory besides for foreign exchange students. They are also known as FICA.

This tax rate differs for every state. In most cases the state tax rate is lower than the federal one. There are some states that this type of tax does not apply (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, Texas, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Tennessee). The rate is defined by the legislative authorities of each state. The state income tax is obligatory for everybody regardless the US sojourn status.

The rate of this tax depends on the local authorities. These taxes cannot be refunded (except for New York City).

Refunding your taxes can be very easy. Our friends and colleagues from Verde Tax are able to submit your tax refund declaration based on the slip of your last paycheck. So our advice to you is to keep your last paycheck or a copy of it in order to apply for a tax refund earlier and to use our special offer for second timers -the Tax Advantage option.

The necessary documents are: a copy of your social security card, a copy of your visa and in some cases a copy of your DS2019.

In case you are receiving your salary as a direct deposit to your personal bank account you will need a bank statement for the last payment period made from your employer. It is very important to know the starting and ending date of your employment for each employer, their phone number and address.  You need to know that each employer is obligated to issue a W2 form for all employees. This form shows all of your income and the sum of the taxes paid for the employment period. Please note that W2 are only issued after the end of the fiscal year! Do not forget to double check the contact information given to the HR office because according to that information your W2 form will be send to the provided address. Many of the employers send the W2 form online too, so please discuss this option before your last working day. You will receive your W2 form no earlier than January 2019.

The Social Security Card is an official document that shows your SSN. The Social Security Number (SSN) is issued by the US authorities and serves for identification in all US institutions, including the tax authorities.

W-2 is an official document you must obtain from each of your employers at the end of the tax year. This form displays all your earnings with your employer and the amount of any taxes you have deducted. You must get your W-2 form no later than the end of January of the next tax year.

A payment slip is a weekly or monthly document you receive with your weekly or monthly check. If you do not have a W-2 form, you can apply for your taxes with the last paycheck that shows all your earnings and taxes deducted for the business period.