[shiva_astro]

Hello my name is shiva kumar.m. I am an Indian.
I did my ph.d in germany and paid taxes for the past 3 years (2006 march to 2009 march) and later did not had any salary so... no taxes.. I was living on my savings for 8 months in germany during the last stages of my ph.d.
Now I am in US on a J1 visa and am a post doctoral fellow in UC Boulder. I have no longer any connection with germany. Except that I will the return of the pension benefits that I paid in germany after 2 years.
The officer who deals with pay and other benefits here in UC boulder told me that I can claim income tax exemption under ' tax resident status of germany' here in US.
And as I read the whole forum... I now understand that if you are claiming the german resident status.. you are taxed in germany...
But in my case.. I donot have any links with germany any more..
So do I really qualify for this tax exemption?
Can any one suggest a solution?

[shiva_astro]

Err.. I had few bloopers in the sentences.. please read "except that i will the return of the pension benefits that i paid in" as
"except that I will claim the return of the pension benefits"

And
as i read the whole forum

I meant the forum in which this discussion on tax issues of J1 visa holder's (harvard).. from germany was discussed

[MukatA]

On J1 you are nonresident for two years. Your income is not subject to SS tax and Medicare tax.
Many tax treaties exempt your income from federal taxes for two years. Now the question is if you will be covered by Germany - U.S. or India - U.S. tax treaty.
Read IRS Publication 901: Tax Treaties.