I was an international student working full time in NY under OPT from 01/01/2016 to 06/01/2016. Then I moved abroad for my Master's Degree and I have no assets except a checking account at a bank(earns no interest). I don't think I will return to the States in the near future.
1. Do I file as part-year resident or nonresident when it comes to state tax returns?
2. Could someone explain why it seems like I owe NY state $150 in taxes after changing my residency status even though state and local taxes are already deducted from my paychecks?
Thank you!
If you were on an F-1 visa while working in the OPT program last year, please note that F-1 visa holders who substantially comply with the requirements of that visa, and who do not exceed the duration of their specific Visitor Exchange Program, are exempt from the Substantial Presence Test used to determine eligibility for being a resident alien for U.S. income tax purposes: this means that, provided that you are in compliance with the terms of the F-1 visa, you are considered a nonresident alien.
As a nonresident alien you will need to file either a Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ to report any U.S.-source income you have. TurboTax does not support Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, so you will not be able to use TurboTax for your specific tax situation (you cannot prepare U.S. state returns without the federal, using TurboTax).
You may want to look into Sprintax, a partner of TurboTax, who are specifically geared towards nonresident aliens with 1040NR filing requirements - for more information visit https://www.sprintax.com/non-resident-alien-tax-1040nr-turbotax.html
For more information about nonresident alien status versus resident alien status, please see IRS Publication 519, US Tax Guide for Aliens:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf
If you were on an F-1 visa while working in the OPT program last year, please note that F-1 visa holders who substantially comply with the requirements of that visa, and who do not exceed the duration of their specific Visitor Exchange Program, are exempt from the Substantial Presence Test used to determine eligibility for being a resident alien for U.S. income tax purposes: this means that, provided that you are in compliance with the terms of the F-1 visa, you are considered a nonresident alien.
As a nonresident alien you will need to file either a Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ to report any U.S.-source income you have. TurboTax does not support Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, so you will not be able to use TurboTax for your specific tax situation (you cannot prepare U.S. state returns without the federal, using TurboTax).
You may want to look into Sprintax, a partner of TurboTax, who are specifically geared towards nonresident aliens with 1040NR filing requirements - for more information visit https://www.sprintax.com/non-resident-alien-tax-1040nr-turbotax.html
For more information about nonresident alien status versus resident alien status, please see IRS Publication 519, US Tax Guide for Aliens:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf