Hi I have been in US since August 2005 as an F1 student. I graduated May 2010 and starting June 1 I have been on the OPT. The forms that I have received for 2010 tax purposes are: form 1098-T from the university that I was on full scholarship and another 1098-T form for a community college that I paid for with my own money (I took a few extra classes there on top being enrolled in the university)
1) I was wondering if I can get any money back for the community college that I paid for?

I also received form 1042-S from the university where I had a full scholarship. They withheld 925.27 federal tax. (I'm Polish resident and they said tax treaty with Poland is 5 years so they had to withdraw that money from me).
2) Can I get any of that money back?

I also received a 1099-MISC form from the place where I was helping out in the summer for only a couple months. In the box for nonemployee compensation there is 1237.00 and in the box for federal income tax withheld there is nothing (blank).

Given all the information: 4) What all forms do I need to fill out for 2010?
5) Am I still considered Nonresident Alien or am I a Resident Alien?
6) Do I owe any money or I will be given any money back?

Please, help!

You will file resident tax return Form 1040.
1098-T. Tuition and fee deduction is not available in 2010. For graduate students scholarship for tuition and fees is not taxable income.
1099-misc (nonemployee compensation) income: You will report your income and business/work related expenses on schedule C or C-EZ (Form 1040). Then you put net income (or loss) on line 12 of Form 1040. This income is subject to SE tax at 15.3% (this is shown on line 57 of Form 1040). For this you will use schedule SE (Form 1040). Self employed, independent contractor or sole proprietor Your U.S. Tax Return: Tax Filing by Self Employed Sole Proprietor or Independent Contractor (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/04/tax-filing-by-self-employed-sole.html)

When I took classes at the community college I was not a graduate student yet. Does that change anything?
Also, I used free turbotax program and after competing it showed federal return of $700. I didn't submit it because I wasn't sure if this is the right way for me since I'm international?

For 2010 you are resident of US so you can use Turbotax to do your resident tax return. Make sure to enter all tax documents in turbo tax.

Okay I still have 2 concerns remaining.

1) I also received 1042-S. Do I need to do anything with it? There is nowhere on Turbo Tax for me to "check" that this is one of the forms I received. Everything else is fine.

2) On the form 1099-MISC the amount of money is put in box 7 as nonemployee compensation however the place where I did my work was only a one-time thing and I haven't done it before and I will not do it again, (also the amount is small) so they told me to consider it "other income" when I fill out my 1040 form. Is that a right thing for me to do? (even though on the form it was in box 7 and not box 3)?

1. Report 1042-S income in same line where you report W-2 income.
2. For 1099-misc income use schedule C. You must pay SE tax at 15.3%

1) Do I have to fill out schedule C? When I tried using turbo tax it told me that I can considered it "other income" instead of a business.

2) can I use turbo tax and efile even though I have a 1042-s form?

I have received form 1042-S from University where I had a full scholarship.

All the info that is on it:
Box 1: Income code 15
Box 2: Gross Income : 6609.03
Box 5: Tax rate 14.00
Box 7: Federal tax withheld 925.27

My questions is: do I have to put any of that information on form 1040? If yes, then where (what lines)?

Also, do I have to attach the 1042-S with all my tax documents and send it out?

I have found among questions that have been answered here a couple years ago, that:

From form 1042-S
I should put amount given to me in box 2 in box 7 on 1040 form, but on the dotted line write "SCH 6609.03"
The amount from box 7 (federal tax withheld) I should put in box 61 on 1040 form, but on the dotted line write "1042-S".

HOWEVER, the exemption code given to me on form 1042-S is 0.00. US have tax treaty with Poland but its only for 5 years and I have been here longer than that.

SO DO I STILL PUT THE AMOUNT OF TAX WITHHELD IN BOX 61 OF FORM 1040?


PLease, help! The last 3 posts are all from me!