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    staubiklein's Avatar
    staubiklein Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Dec 15, 2006, 07:30 PM
    Opt and fica?
    Hello Experts,

    I was an international student on a F1 visa. I got my OPT and now I work for a company in the US. They will sponsor my H1B visa, but for now, I'm sill on my OPT.

    Do I have to pay the FICA contribution while I'm on my OPT? Will I have to pay for it when I have my H1B visa?

    Thanks so much
    AtlantaTaxExpert's Avatar
    AtlantaTaxExpert Posts: 21,836, Reputation: 846
    Senior Tax Expert
    		  
    #2

    Dec 16, 2006, 09:27 AM
    Normally, while on OPT, you should NOT have to pay Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes. That is NOT universally applied nor guaranteed; there ARE exceptions to the rule. Each case must be review individually to see if any exceptions apply.

    While on the H-1B visa, you WILL be liable to pay Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes.

    Some countries (like Japan) have negotiated an agreement with the U.S. to take your payments into the U.S.-based Social Security system and credit them to your home country's Social Security system. This list of applicable countries can be found on page 47 of IRS Pub 519, which can be downloaded from www.irs.gov.
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