An American once told me that you can’t live in America without paying taxes. I didn’t take it seriously until I got to America. Whether you’re a foreigner or a citizen in the States, as long as you have made money, every year you must file individual income tax returns to the federal and state governments. If you’re living in a city, you’re also required to file tax returns to the municipal[市政的] government.
The deadline is known as Tax Day, which usually falls on April 15. In spring you’ll see all kinds of TV commercials about paying taxes. This time of the year is also the busiest for accounting firms. However, if you’re not rich enough to hire an accountant to figure out your income taxes, you may get help from various
tax-returns software, or simply rely on a complicated tax return manual[手册] that comes in the mail from the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS)[美国国税局].
I used to work on campus. So I received my Form W-2 from the university in spring. Form W-2 is a U.S. federal tax form issued by employers. It states how much an employee was paid in a year. And this form is very useful in filing my tax returns, although as a foreign student, I didn’t earn enough to pay income taxes.
If you’re a foreign student in America, you must also file Form 8843 regardless of whether or not you are employed. It’s a statement for exempt[免除] individuals and individuals with a medical condition. The form goes to the Department of the Treasury[财政部].
I remembered our international affairs director said that if we, international students, don’t file these forms, we’ll face consequences when we leave or return to the States. An immigration officer has the right to detain us or prohibit[禁止] our entry because of it.
It sounds horrible, doesn’t it? No wonder Americans have mixed feelings about the IRS. So every year I file my tax returns weeks early. I can’t wait to be a good foreigner in America. When in the U.S., do as the Americans do―complain and then pay your taxes.