Hi, I'm a full-time Ph.D. student who is living abroad and wants to file US taxes disclosing both my annual stipend from the university and my part-time earnings from work. I have been in the UK since September 2018, and I have not filed taxes since. I am filing my 2019 taxes first since this can be done online via Turbotax Inuit.
University: My studentship includes waived tuition fees and an annual stipend. I believe this is considered a scholarship. However, my UK university does not provide a 1098-T and they don't have an EIN or filer's Federal Number, which is needed to file under Deduction & Credits: Education: Expenses and Scholarships (Form 1098-T) via TurboTax.
After reading discussions on "scholarships", I decided to disclose this under Miscellaneous Income, 1099-A, 1099-C: Other reportable income, and labeled it as "Studentship (abroad)". My federal tax due went up to $726. However, then I read another blog saying that it can be disclosed under Foreign income as well, is this accurate?
Work: As I'm working in the UK, I don't have a W-2, so I disclosed my income under Foreign Earned Income and Exclusion, and my entire salary was eligible for an exclusion.
Ultimately, I added both my annual stipend and annual income and listed it as my Foreign Earned Income which came up to a little over 30k and was eligible for an exclusion. However, I am concerned if this is the right way to report this because I only pay tax on my work income. Also, I can only list ONE employer information, I chose my university as my main.
I have not taken any housing deductions, simply listed both my salaries because I am living with family in the UK and saving on rent. Therefore, I put 0 for 'Foreign housing expenses'. The forms asks:
Did you have any family members living with you in your main home?
The possible choices are "yes, my family lived with me while I was living and working outside the US" or "no, my family did not live with me."
I am confused about how to answer this as I lived with my UK family - I did not have my US family living with me. Also, it says describe my housing situation: "Purchased house", "rented house or apartment", "rented room", "quarters furnished by employer". I am living at my aunt's house, should I put down that I live with my aunt, and then pick 'purchased house' or say no, to living with family and pick 'rented room' ?
Lastly, I am asked: Does your visa limit the length of time you can work outside the U.S? I chose limited, so it asks: Describe the limitations of your visa here
On my Student visa, I can only work 20 hours a week (hence my part-time job). Is this asking me to disclose limitations such as my 20-hour work limitations in the UK or does it mean the length of time I can be working outside of the UK? (e.g. 'four years' since my student visa expires in 2022).
