Tax Forms

W-4 Form
On your first day of work your employer will ask you to complete a W-4 form (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate). This will help ensure that you are not over-taxed. Your employer will use the information on this form to determine how much tax should be withheld from your paycheck.

If you do not fill out your W-4 form properly, you may have to pay more tax money in the future. You have to complete a new W-4 form if you change your employer or have more than one job.

Please note that you are classified as a "non-resident alien." Therefore, the instructions shown on the W-4 form do not apply. Here's how to fill out the W-4 form:

I.) Disregard the Personal Allowances Worksheet. This section is for US Citizens only.

II.) On the bottom half of the Form W-4:

a. Box 1: Enter your personal information including US address as instructed.
b. Box 2: Enter your Social Security Number (SSN). If you have not been issued a SSN but have applied for one write “Applied For”.
c. Box 3: Check mark or fill in withholding as “single,” regardless of actual marital status.

d. Box 4: Leave blank.
e. Box 5: Enter “1”. There are no exceptions to this.
f. Box 6: Write “NR” to indicate Nonresident Alien status.
g. Box 7: Leave blank. Nonresidents cannot claim “Exempt”.
h. Box 8 – 10: Leave blank.
i. Sign and date the form.

You must have the Social Security card and number, but you are exempt from paying Social Security, Medicare and Federal Unemployment tax. Sometimes, employers make a mistake and withhold these taxes. You can tell if this happpened by looking at your pay slip (the paper with your wage details). If you do see any deductions under the word "FICA" or "FUTA", the employer has made a mistake. Show your boss the "Dear Employer" letter or call CIEE to assist you.

W-2 Form
At the end of the calendar year, your employer will send you a W-2 form, detailing your total wages and the amount of each tax that was withheld. The employer will send the W-2 to your address in your home country. You must receive a W-2 form from each of your employers -- be sure that you give your home address to all employers so they can send you this form. If you have not received your forms by February 15, you should contact your employer(s) for replacement(s).