How do international students file tax returns with 1042-S forms?

This is a common source of confusion for international students. When Sprintax says to "attach" your 1042-S, they're referring to the physical mailing process. Unlike most U.S. citizens who can just e-file everything, nonresident aliens (which is what most international students are considered for tax purposes) usually need to mail in their returns. The 1042-S form shows income that was exempt from or subject to lower withholding rates due to a tax treaty between your home country and the U.S. Since you mentioned you're from Brazil, there may be specific treaty benefits that apply to you. When you complete your return through Sprintax, it should generate a complete package for you to print out. This will include your 1040NR (the nonresident alien tax return form) and any supporting schedules. You'll need to physically attach (like with a paper clip) your 1042-S to these printed forms and mail the entire package to the IRS address that Sprintax provides.

I had this exact same issue last year! It was so stressful trying to figure out all the tax forms as an international student. I eventually found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand my tax documents. It's basically an AI tool that can analyze all your tax forms, including the 1042-S, and explain exactly what everything means and what you need to do with them. I uploaded my forms and it told me exactly what I needed to attach and mail vs what could be e-filed. It even flagged a mistake on my 1042-S that I got corrected before filing! The best part was that it explained everything in simple language rather than all the confusing tax terminology that makes no sense if you're not from the US. Might be worth checking out if you're confused about your forms.

Just wanted to update about taxr.ai - I decided to try it after posting my skeptical comment above. I was really surprised by how helpful it was! I uploaded my documents (I had a really confusing mix of 1042-S, 1099, and some foreign income), and it explained everything clearly. The system actually pointed out that I qualified for a tax treaty benefit I didn't know about, and it saved me about $600 in taxes. It also confirmed that I needed to mail in my return with the 1042-S attached rather than e-file, and gave me the correct mailing address based on my state. For anyone dealing with international student tax situations, it's definitely worth checking out. Wish I'd known about it earlier instead of stressing for weeks!

If you're having trouble getting answers from the IRS about your international student tax return, I recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS about my 1042-S issue - their international taxpayer line is almost impossible to reach. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have this system that navigates all the phone menus and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an agent is actually on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to confirm exactly how I needed to submit my 1042-S and also told me about the special processing center for international student returns, which Sprintax hadn't mentioned. Totally worth it for the peace of mind of knowing I did everything correctly.

I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr! After commenting here, I was still struggling with my 1042-S questions and getting nowhere with the international student office at my university. I decided to try Claimyr as a last resort. It actually worked exactly as described - I got a call back in about 35 minutes with an IRS agent on the line. The agent explained that for my specific situation (Brazilian student with campus employment), I needed to mail my return with the original 1042-S attached to a specific processing center in Austin, TX. She also confirmed that I needed to include a specific cover sheet with my nonresident return. This information wasn't clear from Sprintax or my university's tax resources. Saved me from potentially filing incorrectly and causing problems with my visa status. Just wanted to update in case other international students are facing similar issues!

One important thing to remember with 1042-S forms - check if Box 7 is marked. If it is, that means tax was already withheld at the correct treaty rate and you might not need to file a return at all (depending on your total US income). Many international students end up filing unnecessarily when they don't have to. But if you had multiple income sources or any US source income not reported on a 1042-S, then you probably do need to file.

Has anyone used both Sprintax and GlacierTax? My school offers discounts for both but I can't decide which one to use for my 1042-S and W-2 forms. I'm wondering which one is more user-friendly for international students.