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June 21, 2021
Question

Filling as Dual Status

Hi,

 

I'm filling as Dual Status for 2020 with First Year Choice. My question is that since I'm only resident part of the year how should I import my W-2? Do I need to manually calculate my income, withhold, etc? My company did FICA wrong and deduct them in my 2021 paycheck, should I consider that as well?

I looked at the help article but it only asks to put 1040NR federal withhold to Schedule 2 line 8 which I can't change.

 

Thanks in advance.

    2 replies

    Level 15
    June 22, 2021

    @1241585 

    1. I am missing something here  -- dual status and first year choice do not compute.  It is one or the other for the year

    2.  Ideally you do not  want to update W-2 -- ask your employer to issue  you a W-2c --- because IRS will generally go by the copy they have received from the  employer.

    3. Generally, your employer is responsible for  part of the FICA contribution and cannot  arbitrarily  do a lump-sum  ( if that is what you mean ) contribution in the following year.

    4. For all of the above  reasons  we  really need more detail of the situation-->

     

    when did you come into the country first and what visa; are you married and if so to another NRA or resident or citizen or  ?; which country are you from; what type of work did you do in 2020 and was this your first year of work; how did you file for 2019 ? anything else ?

     

    Also note that TurboTax  does not support diual status filings even though one can definitely use TurboTax to do the  1040 and  do the 1040-NR by hand and submit by mail.

     

    stay safe

    June 22, 2021

    Thanks for reply! Sorry I should put all my backgrounds XD

     

    I'm partially on F-1 OPT in 2020 then I become H-1B on October. Thus I didn't pay FICA before October and the payroll forgot that I do need to pay them after my status become H-1B. They corrected it by a "lump sum" in my 2021 pay check.

     

    For the questions:

    1. I filled extension and I use First Year Choice now, to be Dual Status in 2020. This way I pass substantial presence test June this year. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/substantial-presence-test

    2. I'm not sure if it's an "error". https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2-c

    3. I'm not sure if I follow. To my understanding my employer should withhold FICA after my status changed to H-1B but they didn't, and instead withhold the missing amount in my 2021 pay check.

     

    For other background information:

    1. 2020 it's my first year working full-time, in F-1 OPT and H-1B.

    2. I filled 1040NR in 2019.

    3. I'm not married.