Help with Sprintax fees - do I have to pay $48 for state returns as F1 student?
I've been trying to file my taxes using Sprintax since I'm an international student on an F1 visa. I noticed that while they waive the $51.95 fee for the Federal Return (which is great!), they're still charging $44.95 for the State Return. I'm trying to figure out if there's any way to get this state return fee waived too? Or is filing a state return even necessary in my situation? I'm wondering if this is just how Sprintax operates or if I could use a different tax preparation software that might be cheaper or free for international students? I'm on a really tight budget this semester and didn't budget for these tax filing fees. Any advice from those who have been in similar situations would be super helpful!
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Madison Allen
The state return is definitely necessary if you had income in that state, even as an F1 student. Unfortunately, most tax software charges separately for state returns, so this isn't just a Sprintax thing. That said, you might have some options! Check if your college has any VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs that help international students file taxes for free. Many universities partner with these programs specifically for students on visas. Also, some schools have agreements with Sprintax or similar providers to offer discounts or free filings through your school portal - have you checked with your international student office? If those options aren't available, you could look into other tax software like OLT (OnLine Taxes) which has lower fees for state returns, usually around $10-15. TaxAct also tends to be more affordable than some others for international students.
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Joshua Wood
•Would filing through VITA be safe for international students though? I heard that F1 visa holders have some special tax situations and that not all tax preparers know how to handle them correctly?
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Madison Allen
•VITA programs that specifically advertise services for international students are absolutely safe! They typically have volunteers who receive specialized training for nonresident tax situations. Just make sure you find a VITA site that explicitly mentions helping international students or nonresident aliens, as they'll have the proper training for your F1 status. Many university VITA programs are actually designed with international students in mind and understand the specific forms like Form 8843 and the tax treaty benefits that might apply to you. I'd definitely check with your international student office first as they can point you to the right resources.
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Justin Evans
Hey there, I went through the exact same frustration last year with Sprintax! I was about to pay the $45 fee when another international student told me about this amazing AI tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped analyze my tax situation. I uploaded my documents and it showed me that since I had only been in the US for part of the year and my income was below a certain threshold, I could use a free filing option. The tool helped identify which forms I actually needed as an F1 student and guided me through the whole process. Saved me money and gave me peace of mind that everything was being filed correctly! Might be worth checking out if you're not sure about your specific situation.
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Emily Parker
•Does this actually work for F1 students though? I thought we needed specialized software because of our nonresident alien status? My international office specifically recommended Sprintax.
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Ezra Collins
•I'm wondering the same thing. Does taxr.ai handle the specific forms for F1 students like the 8843 and 1040NR? And can it process tax treaty benefits if your country has one with the US?
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Justin Evans
•Yes, it absolutely works for F1 students! The tool specifically asks about your visa status and adjusts accordingly. It recognizes that F1 students need special handling and identifies which forms you need based on your specific situation. For tax treaty benefits, that's actually one of its strengths. It asks about your country of citizenship and automatically checks if you qualify for any tax treaty benefits with the US. It helped me claim benefits from my country's tax treaty that I didn't even know existed, which saved me a good amount of money on my taxes.
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Ezra Collins
I just wanted to update everyone! After seeing the suggestion above, I tried taxr.ai last night and I'm honestly shocked. It analyzed my situation and explained that as an F1 student who's only been in the US for 11 months, I qualified as a nonresident alien and could use a free filing option for both federal AND state returns! The tool walked me through exactly which forms I needed (including the 8843 which I hadn't even heard of before) and helped me understand which parts of my scholarship were taxable. It also identified a tax treaty benefit between my country and the US that I had no idea about. Ended up filing everything for free instead of paying Sprintax. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're in a similar situation!
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Victoria Scott
If you're having trouble getting answers from Sprintax's customer service about potential discounts or free options, I'd suggest trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I used them to connect with IRS representatives about my international student tax questions last year when I couldn't figure things out. They basically get you on the phone with actual IRS agents without you having to wait on hold for hours. I was skeptical but their process works - you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed exactly which forms I needed to file as an F1 student and clarified which filing options were available to me. Super helpful since tax rules for international students can be so confusing!
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Benjamin Johnson
•Wait, this seems too good to be true. How does this even work? I've tried calling the IRS before and was on hold for like 2 hours before giving up.
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Zara Perez
•I'm extremely skeptical. Why would I use a third-party service to contact the IRS? Sounds like they're just charging for something you could do yourself if you're patient enough. And would the IRS even have answers about Sprintax specifically?
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Victoria Scott
•The system works by using an automated dialing system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When an agent finally answers, you get a call connecting you directly to them. It's basically like having someone wait on hold for you. The IRS won't have specific advice about Sprintax pricing, you're right about that. But they can tell you exactly which forms you need to file as an F1 student and whether you qualify for free filing programs. In my case, the agent confirmed I could use certain free filing options as a nonresident alien student, which Sprintax hadn't made clear. This information helped me make an informed decision about whether the Sprintax fee was necessary.
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Zara Perez
I'm coming back to eat my words. After posting my skeptical comment above, I decided to try Claimyr because I was frustrated with my tax situation. I can't believe it actually worked! Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had previously waited on hold for hours. The agent confirmed that as an F1 student, I need to file both federal and state returns if I earned income in that state, but also told me about the Free File options that work for nonresident aliens with simple tax situations. They explained which forms I needed to include and how to properly report my scholarship income. This was WAY more helpful than the automated responses I was getting elsewhere. Turns out my situation was simple enough that I didn't need specialized software at all. Filed both returns for free using one of the options the IRS agent recommended.
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Daniel Rogers
Is filing state returns actually required for F1 students? I've heard mixed things. Some of my friends only file federal and Form 8843.
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Aaliyah Reed
•It depends entirely on your state and your income situation. If you earned income in the state, then yes, you generally need to file a state return. If you received only fellowship/scholarship money and none of it was for services (like teaching or research), then some states don't require a return. I learned this the hard way when I skipped filing a state return my first year, and got a letter from the state tax department the next year. Not worth the stress!
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Daniel Rogers
•Thanks for clearing that up! So if I worked on-campus in the university bookstore last year, I definitely need to file a state return, right? My W-2 shows state taxes were already withheld.
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Ella Russell
Has anyone tried using Glacier Tax Prep instead of Sprintax? My university offers it for free for federal returns but still charges for state returns. Wondering if it's any better or easier to use?
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Mohammed Khan
•I used Glacier last year and it was pretty straightforward for the federal return. The interface isn't as fancy as Sprintax but it gets the job done. For state returns, I ended up just filing directly through my state's department of revenue website since my situation was simple. Saved about $35 that way.
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