Anyone have Sprintax Promo Codes for international student tax filing? Need to save $$$!

Thanks so much for the suggestion! I actually did check with our international student office first and they told me they no longer have codes because of budget cuts. So frustrating since they recommended using Sprintax in the first place! I'll definitely try the SPRING2025 code and check out GlacierTax too. Do you know if GlacierTax handles state returns well? I'm in California which seems particularly complicated for non-residents.

GlacierTax does handle California non-resident returns quite well. California has some specific rules for international students, especially regarding scholarship taxation, but their system is designed to address those nuances. For your situation with scholarship income and a campus job, either service should work fine. Just make sure you have your 1042-S forms if any of your scholarship is subject to withholding, and remember that many campus jobs for F-1 students can qualify for FICA exemptions. Both systems will walk you through these determinations, but it's good to understand the basics yourself.

How does taxr.ai handle state returns? I'm in New York and last year I had to file state returns separately which was a nightmare. Also, does it determine if you're a resident or non-resident automatically? I've been in the US for 4 years now on F-1 and getting confused about my status.

I'm skeptical about using new tax services for international student taxes. How do they compare price-wise to Sprintax? And are they actually familiar with all the specific rules for F-1 visa holders? My biggest concern is getting something wrong and having visa issues later.

They handle state returns really well - I filed for Illinois last year without any problems. The system walks you through a questionnaire about your visa status and time in the US to determine if you're a resident or non-resident for tax purposes. Even after 4 years, most F-1 students are still non-residents due to the "exempt individual" rules. For price comparison, it worked out cheaper than Sprintax for me, especially since they include state returns. They definitely understand F-1 visa holder rules - they have specific sections for treaty benefits and FICA tax exemptions that many students miss. I was worried about that too, but their support team answered all my questions about student-specific tax situations.

Wait, how does this actually work? Is it just for connecting to the IRS? I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about my 1042-S form that I think has errors on it, but I always give up after being on hold forever.

This sounds too good to be true. The IRS wait times are notorious. I tried calling them 4 times about my scholarship taxation issue and never got through. If this actually works, it would be a lifesaver, but I'm skeptical anything can beat the IRS phone system.

It's specifically for getting through to the IRS phone system without the wait. They use technology that continuously calls and navigates the phone tree for you, then alerts you when an agent is actually available. You just answer your phone and you're connected to the IRS agent. I was skeptical too! I had spent literally 2+ hours on hold multiple times trying to get clarification about tax treaty benefits for my country (Brazil). With Claimyr, I got connected in about 17 minutes while I continued studying for my finals. The agent helped me understand exactly how to report my research stipend correctly. Definitely worth it if you need to speak with the IRS directly about specific international student tax situations.

Thanks for the UCB code tip! I'll definitely give it a try. And I didn't know about the VITA programs - are you sure they can handle non-resident forms like 8843 and 1040NR? I thought most free tax services only covered basic resident returns.

You're right to be cautious about VITA for non-resident returns. Not all VITA sites have volunteers certified in the Foreign Student and Scholar module. You need to specifically ask if they have volunteers trained on 1040NR and international student issues. I'd call ahead and ask if they have experience with international student taxes. Some university-based VITA programs are better equipped for this. The one at UCLA specifically mentions helping international students, so check if there's a university-hosted VITA site near you rather than a community one. Hope the code works for you!

This actually works! I just called them, explained that I'm a broke grad student and that my university used to offer a code but doesn't anymore. The customer service person was super understanding and gave me a 20% discount. They said they have some discretion for hardship cases. Thanks for the tip!!