Tax reporting

There is a number on my tax reporting document that is located in the field for a Social Security Number, but I either never applied for an SSN/ITIN or the number doesn’t match my actual tax ID. Should I use this number on my tax return?

  • If you never applied for an SSN or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), the number on your 1042-S or W-2 is just a number Harvard has assigned for administrative purposes, and should not be used on your tax return. You should apply for an SSN, or, if ineligible for one, for an ITIN, as soon as possible. The latter can be applied for while completing your tax return, although it is strongly recommended that you do not wait till then to do so.
  • If you now have an SSN or ITIN, you should deliver a copy of the card/letter to our office, and use the SSN/ITIN...
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Why didn’t I receive a 1042-S when I received a scholarship, stipend, fellowship, or grant?

If the Nonresident Alien Tax Office has classified you as a resident alien for tax purposes (a status based on your visa type and U.S. visa history), then you will not be receiving a 1042-S. As a resident alien, you are responsible for independently reporting your income to the U.S. tax authorities by referring to your personal pay records.

Alternatively, if your scholarship was less than your tuition and related expenses, it would have been reported on the 1098-T, not the 1042-S. Please contact the...

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Should I receive any tax reporting documents?

If you had no U.S.-source funding, you will not receive any tax reporting documents. It is possible to receive more than one type of tax reporting document, if you received more than one type of funding from a U.S. source (wages plus a fellowship, for example). The type of document you might receive depends on the type of funding you received.  If the only funding you received from Harvard was a scholarship that was applied directly to your term bill (1098-T), you will not receive any tax reporting documents. If you had no U.S. source funding, you will not receive any tax reporting...

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Do I have to file a Massachusetts State tax return?

Not everyone has to file a State tax return. It depends, among other things, on the source and amount of income you received during the tax year. You do not have to file a Massachusetts tax return if you only have to file Federal Form 8843. You should go to the Windstar tax preparation software for nonresident aliens (available through the International Office) to determine if it is necessary for you to file a State form.

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Since I already had taxes withheld from my paychecks, do I need to file a tax return?

Yes, you should still file a tax return. The U.S. tax system is a “pay as you go” one, where taxes are withheld from your paychecks as you receive them (based on information you gave your employer at the time of hire). You should file a federal and/or a state income tax return to determine if you paid too much tax and are due a refund, or if you did not pay enough and owe tax.

Do I have to file a tax return?

If you were a nonresident alien and were present in the United States during any part of the tax (calendar) year in question on an F,J, M, or Q visa, there is at least one tax form you must complete (IRS Form 8843).

If you were a nonresident alien who did not receive funding from a U.S. source (please be aware that funding from a foreign source that is paid through Harvard is usually considered U.S.-source), you do not have to complete an actual tax return (eg.1040 NR), but, as mentioned above, may...

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Social Security Number (SSN) and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

General Information

Foreign national individuals, both resident aliens and nonresident aliens, may have either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

A Social Security Number (SSN) is:

  • A nine-digit number assigned by the Social Security Administration to an individual for tax and wage reporting purposes

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is:

  • A nine-digit number assigned to an individual who is required to have...

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Stipend, Scholarship, Fellowship, or Grant

Stipends, scholarships, fellowships, and grants are meant to support personal scholarly activities. These income payments are often grouped together, for tax purposes, as "non-service fellowship" income. This may include also health insurance paid on behalf of non-employees and "reimbursements" for travel or other expenses that have not been deemed genuine University business expenses (i.e. in direct support of University research or scholarship).

Correctly distinguishing between income and business expense reimbursements has important ramifications for tax withholding and...

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