Should I file a FICA tax refund claim with Sprintax as a J1 visa holder?
Hey everyone! I was in the United States last year on an F1 visa and noticed that my employer withheld money for Medicare and Social Security (FICA taxes). I'm using Sprintax to prepare my taxes and it's telling me I should be able to get those FICA taxes refunded since I was on a student visa. This is my first time dealing with US taxes and I'm honestly pretty confused about the whole process. Has anyone gone through the FICA tax refund claim before? Is it worth doing through Sprintax or should I try another way? Any advice would be super appreciated as I have no idea what I'm doing! 🙏
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Mateusius Townsend
The FICA tax refund for foreign students and scholars on certain visas is absolutely something you should pursue. As an F1 visa holder, you're generally exempt from paying Social Security and Medicare taxes during your first 5 years in the US. Your employer likely withheld these taxes by mistake, which happens quite often since many payroll systems automatically deduct FICA taxes unless specifically told not to. To get this money back, you'll need to file Form 843 "Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement" along with supporting documentation. Sprintax specializes in nonresident tax preparation and can definitely help with this process. You'll need to provide them with your final paystub or W-2 showing the FICA withholding amounts, plus documentation of your visa status.
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Demi Hall
•Thank you for the information! Do I need to file Form 843 separately from my regular tax return? And approximately how long does it usually take to get the refund?
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Mateusius Townsend
•Yes, Form 843 is submitted separately from your regular tax return. You should still file your normal income tax return (1040NR for nonresidents) by the deadline, but the FICA refund claim is a different process. The processing time for FICA refund claims can take anywhere from 6-12 months, sometimes longer if there's a backlog at the IRS. Make sure you keep copies of everything you submit and consider sending it via certified mail so you can track it.
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Kara Yoshida
Hey guys, just wanted to share my experience with getting FICA taxes refunded. I was in a similar situation last year and found the whole process super confusing until I discovered https://taxr.ai which literally saved me hours of frustration. Their software specifically helps international students and scholars handle these exact situations. I uploaded my W-2 and visa documents, and their system automatically identified that I was eligible for the FICA refund and generated all the necessary forms. The best part was that they explained every step in simple language so I actually understood what was happening with my taxes.
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Philip Cowan
•Did you still need to file Form 843 separately? I'm using a different tax software and wondering if taxr.ai handles that part differently.
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Caesar Grant
•I'm a bit skeptical about using yet another tax service. How is it different from Sprintax which already specializes in international student taxes?
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Kara Yoshida
•Yes, you still need to file Form 843, but taxr.ai generates it for you with all the information filled in correctly. You just print, sign, and mail it to the IRS with your supporting documents. The software walks you through exactly what to attach and where to send it. It's different from Sprintax in that it's more interactive and provides real-time analysis of your documents. Their system specifically flags common issues with FICA refunds that can cause delays. I found their explanations much clearer, especially for first-timers dealing with this specialized tax situation.
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Caesar Grant
Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after being skeptical initially. I decided to try it after struggling with my FICA refund forms, and I'm honestly impressed! The interface analyzed my documents and immediately identified that my employer had incorrectly coded my visa status in their system (which explained the FICA withholding). The software guided me through correcting this on the form and even generated a letter to attach explaining the situation. This would have been so easy to miss on my own!
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Lena Schultz
I went through this nightmare last year trying to get my FICA taxes back. Called the IRS 9 times and could never get through to a real person who understood international student exemptions. Eventually found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they got me connected to an actual IRS agent who specialized in nonresident taxes within 20 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly what documents I needed for my FICA refund claim and gave me a direct fax number to submit my Form 843. Having that conversation saved me months of back-and-forth with the IRS and potentially having my claim rejected for missing documentation.
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Gemma Andrews
•Wait, how does this service actually work? They can just get you through to the IRS when nobody else can? That sounds too good to be true.
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Pedro Sawyer
•Yeah right. I'm supposed to believe there's some magic service that solves the impossible task of reaching the IRS? Next you'll be selling me a bridge in Brooklyn. The IRS phone system is deliberately designed to be impenetrable.
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Lena Schultz
•The service works by using an algorithm that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they finally reach a human agent, they call you and connect you directly to that agent. It's not magic - just smart technology that saves you from the hold music hell. They don't have special access to the IRS - they just have automated systems that can persistently try to get through when most humans would give up after 30+ minutes of waiting. I was skeptical too until I tried it and was talking to an actual IRS agent specializing in international tax issues within 20 minutes of submitting my request.
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Pedro Sawyer
I need to eat my words from my previous comment. After hitting a brick wall trying to get information about my FICA refund status (Form 843 had been submitted 8 months ago with no updates), I broke down and tried Claimyr out of desperation. Within 25 minutes, I was speaking with an IRS representative who was able to check the status of my claim and inform me it had been approved but was waiting for final processing. She even gave me an estimated timeline for receiving my refund and explained why it had taken longer than usual (there was a backlog of international student claims). Definitely worth it when you need actual answers about your specific situation.
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Mae Bennett
One important thing nobody has mentioned yet - keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit for your FICA refund claim. My university roommate had his claim rejected because he couldn't provide additional documentation they requested 6 months after he filed. Also make sure you include a copy of your I-94 and visa page along with your Form 843.
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Beatrice Marshall
•Do you know if there's a deadline for filing the Form 843 for FICA refunds? I just realized my employer was withholding these taxes during my OPT period last year.
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Mae Bennett
•Yes, there's definitely a deadline. You need to file Form 843 for FICA tax refunds within 3 years from the date you filed your income tax return for that year, or within 2 years from the date you paid the taxes, whichever is later. Since you're talking about last year's taxes, you have plenty of time, but don't put it off too long. The documentation requirements can be strict, and you want to submit while you still have easy access to all your visa and employment records.
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Melina Haruko
Has anyone compared the FICA refund process between Sprintax, taxr.ai and just doing it yourself? I'm wondering if the convenience is worth the cost of using a service.
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Dallas Villalobos
•I did mine myself last year and regretted it. Took me forever to figure out how to fill out Form 843 correctly and my claim was rejected twice for small errors. First time was because I didn't include a statement from my employer, second time because I didn't properly document my visa status. The specialized software is worth it IMO.
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