[leosampa]

Hello Tax Experts, I really need your help!

I'm from Brazil and I was participating of a 18 months Training Program (November 2006 to May 2008) in Colorado, USA, under a J1 visa, but I left the program before the end of the agreement (November 2007). I received my W2 Form (2007) and I'm trying to fill the 2007 1040NR-EZ form out. Using the Tax Table from the Instructions and box 2 on my W2 form, I owe the government! Just to explain: I made 12,111.56 in wages and the tax withheld was 1,019.02. Looking at the 2007 Tax Table, my tax is 1,428 (using 12,000 - 12,150 range). If I subtract line 21 (total payments) from line 17 (total tax), I owe 409.00! OMG! Am I doing the right thing? Some friends from the previous program got some refund and I couldn't figure out what's going on with my case. I'm trying to do everything by myself... I'm almost giving up and paying a company like taxback.com. Please help me!! :( :( :( I know I cannot e-file because now I'm in Brazil and I should use my physical address here although I have a host family in Colorado. May I use their address? I still have 340.00 withheld of state income tax (This amout is 11 line on the 1040NR-EZ for as "Itemized deductions", following the attached instructions to this form). I really appreciate any information about it! Thank you very much!!

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

First, you need to subtract $3,400 from the $12,112 in wages for your personal exemption.

Second, the withheld state income taxes ($340) is an itemized deduction, so you deduct that amount as well.

So your actual taxable income is $8,372, and your actual tax owed is $835, which means you are getting $184 back from the IRS.