How to File Taxes with 1042-S as Green Card Holder After F-1 Status? Former Student Confused

The 1042-S form is used to report income paid to foreign persons that's subject to withholding. Since you changed your status from F-1 to permanent resident during 2025, the university probably issued this form for income paid while you were still considered a nonresident for some specific payment. The fact that there's no tax withheld on your 1042-S suggests this income might be exempt from withholding due to a tax treaty or another exemption. This could be related to your scholarship or a stipend payment that happened before you got your green card. You still need to report this income on your tax return. Since you're now a permanent resident, you'll file Form 1040 (not 1040-NR), but you'll need to include the information from the 1042-S. Some tax software doesn't handle 1042-S well, so you might need to try a different program like TaxAct or TurboTax, which have better support for these situations.

After facing a similar situation last year, I found using taxr.ai was super helpful for my complicated status change situation. I was also an F-1 student who got my green card mid-year and the regular tax programs couldn't handle my forms properly. I uploaded my 1042-S, W-2, and 1098-T to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed everything and explained exactly what was being reported on each form and how to file correctly. The system even detected that part of my scholarship reported on the 1042-S was actually for living expenses (not tuition) which is why it showed up there. The best part was that it explained everything in simple terms and gave me guidance on which tax software would actually support my situation - saved me from making a potentially expensive mistake!

I was totally wrong about those online services! I ended up using taxr.ai after posting that skeptical comment because my university tax center couldn't help with my status change situation. After uploading my W-2, 1098-T and 1042-S forms, the system immediately identified that my stipend was being reported on both the 1042-S and partly on my W-2. It even created a detailed report showing exactly which portions of my scholarship were taxable vs. non-taxable and explained which forms I needed to use. The analysis pointed out that I needed to file Form 8833 for treaty benefits from the period before I got my green card, which no one had mentioned to me. For anyone dealing with status changes and multiple tax forms from universities, this kind of document analysis is actually worth it - saved me from double-reporting about $4,300 of income!

If you're struggling to get anyone on the phone at the IRS to help with your status change and 1042-S questions, try Claimyr! I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS about my similar situation - constant disconnects and hours on hold. With https://claimyr.com I actually got through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes who explained exactly how to report my 1042-S income as a new permanent resident. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before using this service, I literally couldn't get anyone on the phone to answer my questions about handling income that was reported when my status changed mid-year. The IRS agent I finally spoke with confirmed exactly which forms I needed and even sent me additional documentation specific to my situation.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr! After struggling for 3+ weeks trying to reach someone at the IRS about my specific situation with a mid-year status change and multiple tax forms, I decided to try it. Got connected to an actual IRS specialist in under 25 minutes who knew EXACTLY how to handle the 1042-S reporting after status change. They explained that the university was correct to issue the form for the period before I became a permanent resident, and walked me through how to properly report it on my 1040 without double-counting income. The agent even emailed me two specific IRS notices that address reporting requirements when changing from student visa to permanent resident status - information I couldn't find anywhere else. Absolutely worth it for complicated immigration/tax situations like ours where generic advice just doesn't cut it.

Have you checked if there's a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site near you? Many offer special assistance with international student tax situations. I used to volunteer for one, and we had specialized training for handling status changes, 1042-S forms, and treaty benefits. The 1042-S you received is probably for scholarship money that exceeded your qualified education expenses or for a specific payment made while you were still on F-1. If you bring all your forms (W-2, 1098-T, 1042-S) to VITA, they can help you file for free and make sure everything's reported correctly.

Does anyone know if TaxSlayer handles 1042-S? Their website says they do, but when I tried to enter mine last year, the software kept crashing. Ended up having to use H&R Block which was way more expensive.