Best options for filing 1040NR online for non-resident alien with US income?

Does Sprintax handle state tax returns too? I'm in California and had to file both federal and state last year, was a huge headache.

Yes, Sprintax does handle state returns for non-residents in addition to the federal 1040NR. They cover all states that have income tax requirements, including California which has some specific rules for non-residents. For California specifically, make sure you understand the sourcing rules as they can differ from federal guidelines in some cases. This is especially important if you physically worked in California at any point.

Does it work for students on F-1 visas? My scholarship has some taxable portions and I'm confused about how to report it correctly on the 1040NR.

I'm skeptical about AI tax tools for specialized forms like 1040NR. How does it handle tax treaties? I'm from the UK and there are specific provisions that apply to my consulting income.

It absolutely works for F-1 students and handles scholarship reporting correctly. The system asks about your visa status and then applies the right rules for taxable vs. non-taxable portions of scholarships and fellowships. It even helps determine if you qualify for any educational tax benefits. Regarding tax treaties, it has comprehensive coverage of country-specific provisions. For UK specifically, it covers the provisions for consulting income under Article 14 and helps determine if your income qualifies. It asks detailed questions about your work arrangement to make sure it applies the treaty correctly.

How does it actually work though? I thought the IRS lines were just perpetually busy and there was no way around it. Do they have some special access or something?

Sounds too good to be true. The IRS international line is notoriously impossible to reach. I've tried calling from the UK multiple times at all hours and never got through. Are you sure you're not just promoting a service that doesn't actually deliver?

It works by using an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree using their algorithm. They've mapped out all the prompts and know exactly when to call for shortest wait times. It's not special access - they're just using technology to handle the frustrating part of waiting on hold. I was extremely skeptical too, especially after trying to call the international line from abroad multiple times. The difference is Claimyr's system calls from a US number and knows the exact timing patterns that increase connection probability. I understand being doubtful - I was too until I actually got connected to an agent who answered my specific treaty questions.

I used Glacier last year on my J-1 visa and it was decent for the basics, but it struggled with my independent contractor income. The interface is pretty outdated and it didn't give great guidance on estimated tax payments for the self-employment portion. If your situation is simple it might work, but with side income you might want something more comprehensive.

Thanks for sharing your experience. That's helpful to know about the limitations with independent contractor income. I'm worried about handling the self-employment tax aspect correctly since I've heard there are special rules for non-residents. Maybe I'll see if the university's international student office offers any additional resources for situations like mine.

I actually didn't know VITA helped with 1040NR forms! That could be perfect for me since my income is definitely under that threshold. Do you know how I would find locations that specifically have volunteers trained on non-resident returns? I imagine not all VITA sites handle these more complex situations.

You'll need to look specifically for VITA sites with "foreign student" or "non-resident" tax preparation listed in their services. Not all locations offer this specialized help. The best way to find them is to check with university international student offices as many host these specialized VITA sites. The IRS website has a VITA locator tool, but call before going to confirm they handle 1040NR forms. Some sites require appointments specifically for non-resident returns because they take longer and need volunteers with special training.

What's the threshold amount? I only made like $2,800 from a US company last year while working remotely from Canada. Tax was withheld but only about 10%.

For non-resident aliens, you're generally required to file Form 1040NR if you have any US-source income that's subject to reporting, regardless of the amount. The filing thresholds that apply to US residents don't typically apply to non-residents in the same way. With $2,800 in US income and only 10% withheld, you'll likely need to file to determine if you owe additional tax or are entitled to a refund. The tax rate depends on the type of income and any applicable treaty benefits between the US and Canada. I'd recommend using one of the tools mentioned earlier in this thread or checking with a tax professional to be sure.

Welcome to the non-resident tax filing club! Your situation sounds very similar to what I went through last year. For German tax treaty provisions, I actually used TaxAct's updated non-resident service and it handled the Article 14 consulting income provisions pretty well. It walked me through the classification questions to determine if your consulting qualified for treaty benefits. Regarding estimated payments - as a first-year US income earner who's a non-resident, you typically won't face underpayment penalties if this was truly your first year with US tax obligations. The IRS generally gives you a pass on the first year since you had no prior year tax to base estimates on. However, you'll want to start making quarterly payments for 2025 if you expect similar income. One tip: make sure you have documentation of when you performed the work (in Germany vs US) as this affects treaty application. The physical location where services are performed matters a lot for consulting income under the German treaty.

I can help with the rental income questions! As a non-resident alien with US rental property, you can generally deduct the same expenses as US residents - including property management fees, repairs, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation. The key difference is that you're subject to a flat 30% withholding tax unless you elect to treat the rental income as effectively connected with a US trade or business (which most people do by filing Form W-8ECI with your property manager or tenant). For Australia specifically, the US-Australia tax treaty doesn't provide special treatment for rental income - it's still taxed as US-source income. However, you should be able to claim a foreign tax credit on your Australian return to avoid double taxation. Regarding calling from Australia, I haven't personally used Claimyr from there, but the time zone issue is exactly why their callback system could be valuable. They handle the waiting during US business hours and call you back when connected, so you don't have to stay up all night trying to reach the IRS. The service should work internationally as long as they can call your number when an agent is available. Make sure you're tracking all your rental expenses carefully and consider whether the depreciation deduction makes sense for your overall tax situation, especially given the depreciation recapture rules when you eventually sell the property.

This is such a comprehensive overview, thank you! I'm just starting to navigate this whole 1040NR process and feeling pretty overwhelmed. Your point about keeping detailed records of US time is something I hadn't considered - I'm on an H-1B visa and travel back home frequently, so I should probably start tracking those dates more carefully. One quick question - when you mention testing AI-powered tools with a simple scenario first, do you mean like doing a practice run before the actual filing? I'm worried about making mistakes but also don't want to accidentally submit multiple returns or mess something up while testing. Also really appreciate the state tax reminder. I'm in Texas which doesn't have state income tax, but I did some contract work in California last year, so I'm guessing I need to deal with CA non-resident requirements too. This is getting more complicated than I thought!