CPA/accountant recommendations needed for filing W2G gambling winnings as non-resident alien

9 Non-resident alien tax filing with gambling winnings can definitely be tricky! As someone who's been preparing taxes for international clients for years, I can offer some guidance. For non-resident aliens with W2G forms, you'll need to file Form 1040-NR (U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return). Your gambling winnings are generally subject to a flat 30% withholding tax unless you're from a country that has a tax treaty with the US that specifies a lower rate. When looking for a CPA, I'd recommend checking the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications on the IRS website. You can search by location and credentials. Look specifically for CPAs with international tax experience. Another good resource is the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) - they have a "Find a CPA" tool on their website that lets you filter by specialization including international taxation.

17 After struggling with a similar situation last year (Canadian with US casino winnings), I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was seriously a game-changer. They have specific expertise with international tax situations including gambling income for non-residents. I uploaded my W2G forms and my passport info, and their system automatically identified the relevant tax treaty provisions between Canada and the US. They handled everything from determining my correct withholding rate to properly documenting my gambling sessions for loss deductions. Their tax specialists also explained how to avoid double taxation between US and Canadian returns, which saved me nearly $2,000 in unnecessary tax payments.

7 Update for anyone searching for help with this issue: I ended up using taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was exactly what I needed. Their system immediately recognized how to handle Brazilian tax residents with US gambling income, which was impressive. The tax specialist I was assigned actually showed me how to properly document my gambling sessions so I could offset some winnings with losses (within the same session) which apparently is allowed even for non-residents in specific circumstances. This saved me over $1,400! They also provided me with documentation to give to my Brazilian accountant showing the US taxes paid so I could claim foreign tax credits. Would definitely recommend for anyone in a similar situation.

15 For anyone still struggling to get help, I had a horrible time trying to reach the IRS international taxpayer hotline about my W2G forms. Spent literally 4+ hours on hold over multiple days and kept getting disconnected. I tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after seeing someone mention it on another forum - they have this service where they wait on hold with the IRS for you and then call you when an agent is actually on the line. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super doubtful, but I got a call back in about 90 minutes with an actual IRS international tax specialist on the line who answered all my questions about treaty benefits for gambling winnings and how to properly file my 1040-NR with W2G income.

22 I take back what I said! After my frustration peaked trying to get through to the IRS about my W2G situation, I reluctantly tried Claimyr. Honestly, I was expecting to waste my money, but I got a call back in about 2 hours with an actual IRS international tax specialist. The agent explained that my situation (India-US tax treaty for gambling) was subject to a reduced 25% withholding rate rather than 30%, and I could file for a refund of the difference. She also confirmed exactly which forms I needed for my particular visa status. This saved me hours of frustration and potentially getting incorrect information from general tax preparers who don't deal with international treaties daily. Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong - this service actually delivers.

3 Has anyone used H&R Block for this type of situation? They advertise that they can handle "complex tax situations" but I'm not sure if that includes non-resident gambling income.

6 One more thing to consider - if you had SUBSTANTIAL gambling winnings (like over $50k), you might want to look into professional gambler status filing. A friend of mine from Australia did this and was able to deduct travel expenses related to his poker tournaments. Not sure if it applies in your situation but worth asking a specialist about.