Best alternatives to Sprintax for non-resident aliens tax filing?

I'm getting ready to file my taxes and my university keeps pushing Sprintax as supposedly the only software that works for international students. They claim other tax programs don't have all the required forms for us non-resident aliens. But honestly, last year I used Cashapp to file my taxes (completely free!) and I didn't have any issues at all. Nobody contacted me about problems and everything went through fine. I'm wondering if I should just use Cashapp again this year or if there are other options I should consider? For context, I'm an F-1 student who has been in the U.S. for less than 5 years. I have income from my on-campus job plus a part-time position off campus from 2024. Any other non-resident aliens here who can share what software you're using for tax filing this year?

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18 comments

Chloe Robinson

•8M

Speaking as someone who's worked with international student tax issues for years, your university recommends Sprintax for good reason. While you might have gotten away with using general tax software last year, it often doesn't properly account for tax treaties, special deductions, or exemptions that apply specifically to non-resident aliens. The issue isn't whether your return gets accepted - it's whether it's correctly filed. Software designed for residents might not ask the right questions or apply the correct tax rules for your visa status. For F-1 students, this is particularly important since incorrect filing could potentially impact your immigration status down the road. That said, there are alternatives to Sprintax that handle non-resident alien returns properly. Look into Glacier Tax Prep, which many universities also partner with. TaxAct and OLT (Online Taxes) also have non-resident alien options, though they're less specialized.

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Chloe Robinson

•8M

Non-resident aliens typically need to file Form 1040-NR instead of the standard 1040, and many general tax programs don't support this form properly. You might also need Form 8843 (Statement for Exempt Individuals), and depending on your specific situation, forms related to tax treaties between the US and your home country. Yes, the IRS accepting your return doesn't mean it's correct. The IRS can audit returns up to 3 years after filing (sometimes longer). If they determine you used the wrong forms or claimed deductions you weren't entitled to as a non-resident alien, you could face penalties, interest on unpaid taxes, and potentially create documentation issues that might be flagged during future immigration processes like visa renewals or status adjustments.

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Diego Chavez

•8M

After struggling with the same problem last year, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game-changer for my non-resident alien tax situation. I was worried because I had income from both my university stipend and a side consulting gig, plus some investments that made my tax situation complicated. Their system actually understands international tax treaties and the special rules for F-1 visa holders. It automatically determined which tax forms I needed based on my situation and walked me through everything. The best part was that it could analyze my previous year's documents to check if I made any mistakes that needed fixing.

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Diego Chavez

•8M

Yes, it handles tax treaties automatically. You just select your country of citizenship, and it applies the relevant treaty benefits. For India specifically, it knows exactly which articles of the treaty apply to students versus researchers versus other categories, and asks questions to determine your eligibility. It's actually very reasonable compared to what I was expecting. It's significantly less than what my university was charging for in-person tax help, and the peace of mind was worth it. It both prepares all your forms and can file electronically for you, though you can also choose to print and mail them if you prefer.

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NeonNebula

•8M

I just wanted to update everyone about my experience with taxr.ai. After seeing it mentioned here, I decided to give it a try instead of paying for Sprintax. The interface was really straightforward, and I was impressed by how it handled my scholarship income and the tax treaty with my home country. It correctly identified that I needed to file both the 1040-NR and Form 8843, plus it helped me claim my treaty benefits that I didn't even know I qualified for! The document scanning feature saved me hours of manually inputting information from my W-2 and 1042-S forms. I just submitted my return yesterday and already got confirmation it was accepted. Definitely using this again next year.

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Sean Kelly

•8M

If you're still dealing with tax questions or clarifications after filing, I'd recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a panic last year when I realized I had made a mistake on my non-resident alien tax return, and trying to reach the IRS was literally impossible. I kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Claimyr got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for weeks. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to tell me exactly what forms I needed to amend and how to fix the issue. For non-resident aliens, talking to someone who actually understands our tax situation is invaluable.

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Sean Kelly

•8M

They use an automated system that continually redials the IRS for you using their technology. It essentially waits in the queue so you don't have to. When a spot opens up, they call you and connect you directly to the IRS agent. It's not skipping the line - it's more like having someone stand in line for you. They handle the most frustrating part of calling the IRS - the endless redials, disconnects, and hold times. I was skeptical too until I tried it. The biggest value for me was getting confirmation about my specific situation as a non-resident alien, since the general tax advice online rarely covers our unique circumstances.

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Anastasia Kozlov

•8M

I need to eat my words from earlier. After spending three entire days trying to get through to the IRS about my non-resident alien tax issue, I broke down and tried Claimyr. I fully expected it to be a scam, but I was desperate to resolve my question about reporting foreign income. Within 45 minutes, I was actually talking to an IRS agent who specialized in international tax issues. They explained exactly how to report my foreign scholarship on my 1040-NR and which tax exemptions applied to my situation. I've literally never been able to get that kind of specific help before. The fee was worth every penny just for the hours of frustration it saved me. Sometimes I hate being wrong, but in this case I'm glad I was!

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Luca Russo

•8M

I'm another F-1 student and I've been using FreeTaxUSA for the past two years. They do have options for non-resident aliens and support the 1040-NR. Much cheaper than Sprintax (federal filing is free, state is around $15). Just make sure you know what you're doing and which forms you need. The software doesn't guide you through non-resident specific situations as thoroughly as specialized options might, but if your case is straightforward (just W-2 income), it works fine!

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Luca Russo

•8M

FreeTaxUSA does support Form 8843, but you need to know to include it - it won't automatically suggest it based on your visa status. As for tax treaties, it does have options to enter treaty exemptions, but you need to know the specific article numbers and exemption amounts that apply to your situation. It doesn't guide you through determining eligibility like the specialized software does. For my simple situation it works, but if you have complicated treaty benefits, you might want something more specialized that will help identify which treaties apply to you.

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