In the winter months approaching April 18, Tax Day, the Center for Civic Engagement at UNL is providing a free, volunteer-run tax credit campaign, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). VITA serves UNL students and low-income community members and families. Currently, VITA tax preparers and volunteers are filing federal and state 1040 returns for U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and international student scholars who have met their VISA requirements for residency.
Working college students who are seeking tax assistance should first check with parents or guardians to see whether or not they are claimed on their parents’ or guardians’ tax return as a dependent. This is important information for the tax preparer to know to begin the college student’s return. Working college students should also let the tax preparer know what they paid for tuition, qualified school expenses, and scholarship amounts. Students can prepare this information by printing off their student account information through MyRed.
For UNL students who are not employed, but have received scholarship income that exceeds tuition and school expenses must report this extra scholarship income.
The Center for Civic Engagement is hosting an International Student Scholar tax site in the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center. International student scholars should file a Form 1040NR if they have received scholarship income, are employed, or have received the Form W-2 or Form 1042-S. International student scholars must also come to the tax site if they have been in the US for less than 5 years on an F1 VISA, less than 2 years on a J1 VISA, or less than 183 days on a H1B VISA. For VISA compliance, all international student scholars must complete Form 8843, which can be filled out at the tax site and will be checked by the tax preparers to make sure it has been completed properly.
See the tax site schedule.
Information about what to bring.
Please call us at (402) 472-6150 or stop by the Center for Civic Engagement, Room 222 of the Nebraska Union, to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome at our tax sites.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/y7x0