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A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Old Jan 25th 2005, 8:40 pm
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Question A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Hello everyone!!

I know this is a bit OT but I have got a job from home!, They don't pay a lot and it is part time but that's better than nothing!
I have to fill out the W-4 form and I don't know how to, I have searched on the net but the more I read.. I get more and more confused.
I am a non resident alien authorized to work so special rules apply, does anybody know how to fill it out??. THANKS A BUNCH!!

Hyperstinky.

Last edited by Hypertweeky; Jan 25th 2005 at 8:43 pm.
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Old Jan 25th 2005, 8:44 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by Hypertweeky
Hello everyone!!

I know this is a bit OT but I have got a job from home!, They don't pay a lot and it is part time but that's better than nothing!
I have to fill out the W-4 form and I don't know how to, I have searched on the net but the more I read.. I get more and more confused.
I am a non resident alien authorized to work so special rules apply, does anybody know how to fill it out??. THANKS A BUNCH!!

Hyperstinky.
Hi Hyper,

For tax purposes, you ARE a resident alien. Fill everything out as if you are a resident here. Tax definition of resident alien is different than USCIS definition.

Rene
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Old Jan 25th 2005, 8:48 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by Noorah101
Hi Hyper,

For tax purposes, you ARE a resident alien. Fill everything out as if you are a resident here. Tax definition of resident alien is different than USCIS definition.

Rene

Aww Now I am more confused!!
What's this link all about then:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc851.html

If you are a non resident alien see the instructions form 8233 before completing form W-4.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf

Awww

Last edited by Hypertweeky; Jan 25th 2005 at 8:52 pm.
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Old Jan 25th 2005, 9:23 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

I dont have an answer for you but:

YOU GOT A JOB!! CONGRATULATIONS!
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Old Jan 25th 2005, 9:24 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

tweeky,

I suspect that you pass the 'substantial presence test' for 2004.

You may also be a resident alien for tax purposes if you and your husband submitted a request for you to be treated as such for a prior tax year (perhaps your first year in the USA or even before you came to the USA, when you may not have been able to pass the substantial presence test) and have not revoked that election.

Regards, JEff

Originally Posted by Hypertweeky
Aww Now I am more confused!!
What's this link all about then:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc851.html

If you are a non resident alien see the instructions form 8233 before completing form W-4.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf

Awww
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Old Jan 25th 2005, 10:14 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Hyper,

Taken from the first link you provided:

"The second test is the "substantial presence test." To meet this test, you must have been physically present in the United States on at least 31 days during the current year, and 183 days during the 3 year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately before."

This in itself says you are a resident alien. So go ahead and fill out the W-4 and enjoy working!

Rene
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 3:19 am
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by Noorah101
Hyper,

Taken from the first link you provided:

"The second test is the "substantial presence test." To meet this test, you must have been physically present in the United States on at least 31 days during the current year, and 183 days during the 3 year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately before."

This in itself says you are a resident alien. So go ahead and fill out the W-4 and enjoy working!

Rene
Thank you and Jeffrey!
I will go ahead and fill it out like everyone else then
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 3:20 am
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by andrea874
I dont have an answer for you but:

YOU GOT A JOB!! CONGRATULATIONS!
Thanks girlie!!
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 4:00 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by Hypertweeky
Hello everyone!!

I know this is a bit OT but I have got a job from home!, They don't pay a lot and it is part time but that's better than nothing!
I have to fill out the W-4 form and I don't know how to, I have searched on the net but the more I read.. I get more and more confused.
I am a non resident alien authorized to work so special rules apply, does anybody know how to fill it out??. THANKS A BUNCH!!

Hyperstinky.
Hey Hyp, I'm going to be out of work for a while too, so if you can, can you please PM me and tell me what kind of work you are going to be doing or maybe pass on the name of the company that you are going to work for? I'd love to do some part time work for awhile..it beats sitting at home doing nothing!

Congrats on your job!!

Good luck girl!
~Jamie

Last edited by Bluegrass Lass; Jan 26th 2005 at 4:03 pm.
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 4:29 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by UKintheUSA
CONGRATS on the Job! Woo Hoo! Just fill it out like the rest of us USC and just be sure you claim enough taxes so you are stuck next year having to pay extra taxes. That BITES big time when you haven't filled it our correctly!
I always like to claim married filing 0 dependents so they take the MAX out. I then sometimes get a little check back from IRS. Rarely, but ever so occassionally! Garry just started his new and FIRST job in the USA on Monday and he was a little confused by the form as well! In the SS Number section his employer told him to just put "applied for" since he hasn't got the actual card yet. They have been really great with him. Good Luck! What will you be doing for work from home?


Debs
Hey girlie!!

Excellent advice Thank you!!
I was about to ask (actually I have just PM'ed Rene lol) what the heck are the allowances lol. I should enter 0 right?
How about the additional amount?? Shall I leave that blank?
What about the claim exception??
I suppose I have to select the married option right?
Do I have to fill out page number 2??. Mark told me I only have to fill out the bottom half of the first page, he doesn't know how to fill it out because his dad always does his tax stuff lol.
Sorry for asking so many questions I am just so confused!!
As for what I will be doing from home it will change every once in a while as this company works as a dispatcher for other companies, My first assignment is to take orders (teddy bears lol) from a company called Vermont for the valentine's season
My second will probably be troubleshooting for a modem company (Links), so I bet I won't get bored!!.
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 4:44 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by Hypertweeky
Hey girlie!!

Excellent advice Thank you!!
I was about to ask (actually I have just PM'ed Rene lol) what the heck are the allowances lol. I should enter 0 right?
How about the additional amount?? Shall I leave that blank?
What about the claim exception??
I suppose I have to select the married option right?
Do I have to fill out page number 2??. Mark told me I only have to fill out the bottom half of the first page, he doesn't know how to fill it out because his dad always does his tax stuff lol.
Sorry for asking so many questions I am just so confused!!
As for what I will be doing from home it will change every once in a while as this company works as a dispatcher for other companies, My first assignment is to take orders (teddy bears lol) from a company called Vermont for the valentine's season
My second will probably be troubleshooting for a modem company (Links), so I bet I won't get bored!!.
Hey Hyper!
You can check either Married, or Married withholding at higher single rate. I'm not exactly sure what the difference is...but I heard it was beneficial to check the Married withholding at higher single rate...so that's what I did. You can put 0 on the number of allowances, that way they'll take out the most tax...but I'm not sure if it's beneficial to you guys to put in any allowances. I claimed 3, but that's because Sadegh isn't having any withheld. Leave number 6 blank, yes...no additional withheld amount. You don't have to fill out page 2.

I guess I didn't know as much as I thought I would! I filled mine out according to my tax guy's advice.

Good luck! Your new job sounds like fun!

Rene
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 5:17 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

tweeky,

Unless one really wants to have the government keep their money all year before giving it back, it really pays to estimate what one's tax liability is likely to be and then take the appropriate number of allowances on the W-4.

I personally have better things to do with my money than to let the governent sit on it for a year.

Regards, JEff

Originally Posted by Hypertweeky
Hey girlie!!

Excellent advice Thank you!!
I was about to ask (actually I have just PM'ed Rene lol) what the heck are the allowances lol. I should enter 0 right?
How about the additional amount?? Shall I leave that blank?
What about the claim exception??
I suppose I have to select the married option right?
Do I have to fill out page number 2??. Mark told me I only have to fill out the bottom half of the first page, he doesn't know how to fill it out because his dad always does his tax stuff lol.
Sorry for asking so many questions I am just so confused!!
As for what I will be doing from home it will change every once in a while as this company works as a dispatcher for other companies, My first assignment is to take orders (teddy bears lol) from a company called Vermont for the valentine's season
My second will probably be troubleshooting for a modem company (Links), so I bet I won't get bored!!.
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 5:45 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Originally Posted by jeffreyhy
tweeky,

Unless one really wants to have the government keep their money all year before giving it back, it really pays to estimate what one's tax liability is likely to be and then take the appropriate number of allowances on the W-4.

I personally have better things to do with my money than to let the governent sit on it for a year.

Regards, JEff

And for myself, I prefer to let the government have an overdraft of a few hundred dollars then to have to pay it out on April 15 from my savings. At the rate of interest on a standard savings account it is worth my piece of mind not to have to worry about what I owe my Uncle Sam at the start of the new year.
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 5:46 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Congratulations on the employment, Hyper. But do your co-workers a favor and take beano before every meal ;-)

Rita
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Old Jan 26th 2005, 6:11 pm
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Default Re: A bit OT: W-4 for non resident aliens.

Rete,

I agree. A few hundred is probably as close as anyone could easily estimate anyway.

But taking 0 allowances could, for many people, result in a much bigger over-withholding than a few hundred.

Regards, JEff

Originally Posted by Rete
And for myself, I prefer to let the government have an overdraft of a few hundred dollars then to have to pay it out on April 15 from my savings. At the rate of interest on a standard savings account it is worth my piece of mind not to have to worry about what I owe my Uncle Sam at the start of the new year.
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