Do I still pay Social Security and Medicare tax on US stock income as a non-resident who was on F1 visa?

This is a good question about international taxation. For your stock vesting situation, you generally don't have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes (collectively known as FICA taxes) on this income as a non-resident alien who previously held an F1 visa and is now living outside the US. The exemption you had as an F1 student for FICA taxes typically continues to apply to this kind of income. The stock vestings are considered US-source income for income tax purposes, so you'll need to file a US non-resident tax return (1040-NR) to report this income, but the FICA taxes wouldn't apply in your case. The key here is that you're no longer providing services in the US, and the stock is vesting based on your prior work when you were exempt from these taxes. Make sure you're properly classifying yourself as a non-resident alien on all your US tax documents.

After struggling with a similar international tax situation last year, I discovered a tool that really helped me figure out my tax obligations. Check out https://taxr.ai - it's an AI system that can analyze your specific situation with US sourced income after leaving the country. I uploaded my stock documents and answered a few questions about my visa history, and it clarified exactly what I needed to pay. The tool explained that my stock vesting after leaving the US was subject to income tax but not Social Security/Medicare taxes, and showed which forms I needed to file. It even explained the specific IRS rules that applied to my situation.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing this recommendation and it was super helpful! I uploaded my stock grant documents and answered questions about my visa history, and it confirmed I don't owe FICA taxes on my vested shares. It explained exactly how the US-Australia tax treaty impacts my situation and showed me how to properly report this on Form 1040-NR. The tool even identified a foreign tax credit I can claim in Australia for taxes paid to the US. Saved me at least $1200 in unnecessary tax payments and probably $800 in accountant fees. Thanks for the suggestion!

If you need to contact the IRS about this situation, good luck getting through on the phone! After trying for weeks to get clarification on my own international stock vesting situation, I found a service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real IRS agent. You can check them out at https://claimyr.com - they basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. I wasted so much time trying to call directly before finding them. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows how it works. When I finally spoke with an IRS agent, they confirmed that as a former F1 visa holder now living abroad, I didn't need to pay FICA taxes on my stock vestings. Having that official confirmation gave me peace of mind when filing.

I'm eating my words from earlier. After continuing to fail getting through to the IRS myself, I tried that Claimyr service and they actually got me connected to an IRS representative in about 2 hours. I didn't have to sit by the phone - they just called me when they were about to connect me. The IRS agent confirmed exactly what others here said - as a former F1 visa holder now living outside the US, stock vestings from US employers aren't subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes. They also explained I need to file Form 1040-NR and include the stock income on Schedule NEC. Definitely worth using the service instead of wasting more weeks trying to call myself.

One thing to consider - check if there's a tax treaty between the US and Canada. These treaties can significantly impact your tax situation. I believe the US-Canada tax treaty has specific provisions about investment income that might help prevent double taxation. You'll likely need to file Form 8833 to claim treaty benefits.

Has anyone used TurboTax for this kind of situation? I have a similar issue with RSUs vesting after leaving the US and I'm wondering if regular tax software can handle it or if I need to hire a specialist.

I went through this exact situation last year! As a former F1 visa holder now living in Canada, I can confirm that you typically don't need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on stock vestings that occur after you've left the US. The key points for your situation: 1. You'll need to file Form 1040-NR as a non-resident alien 2. Report the stock vesting income, but FICA taxes generally don't apply since you're no longer providing services in the US 3. Definitely look into the US-Canada tax treaty provisions - you may be able to claim treaty benefits to reduce your US tax burden 4. On your Canadian return, you'll report this as foreign income and can likely claim a foreign tax credit for any US taxes paid The stock vesting is considered compensation for work you performed while in the US, but since you had the F1 FICA exemption when you earned it, that exemption typically carries forward. Just make sure you're properly documenting your non-resident status and the dates when you left the US. I'd recommend keeping detailed records of when you left the US, your visa status history, and all stock vesting documents. This will be helpful if you ever need to explain your tax position to either the IRS or CRA.