Hi there,

I am on CPT right now and just started to work in California. I am single with no dependents. Here is my Pay Check statement per MONTH:

• Monthly Gross Pay = $7,680.00
• Federal Withholding = $1,569.48
• Social Security = $0.00
• Medicare = $0.00
• California = $544.44
• SDI = $92.16

Hope you don't mind in answering such questions.

My questions are:

1. Do you think the payroll taxes are correctly deducted? (I feel it's so high - human nature :) )
2. How much will I receive during the tax returns?
3. Are they are any taxes that I should be exempt from? (Other than SSN and Medicare)?

If you have not completed 5 years on F1 and CPT, you are nonresident and will file nonresident tax return. You will pay federal as well state income taxes.
In 2011, you will earn around $11,000. You will not get standard deduction. You will get one exemption deduction. Assuming your total deductions to be around $4000, your federal income tax will be around $700. You will get a big fat refund. You will also get refund from CA. Your U.S. Tax Return: U.S. Tax Filing Requirements for Non-Residents

You MAY be entitled to a treaty exemption; to know for sure, we need to know your HOME country.

Also, exactly WHAT DATE did you start working? And are you paid on the last working day of the month or the first working day of the following month (this is important to determine if your December pay is taxed in 2011 or 2012)?