Reclaiming tax paid in the USA?

OliviaO

I have just spent all summer working in the USA as a summer research assistant at a scientific institute. I received free accommodation, travel and subsistence, with payment totalling around $8000. Of this, I was taxed at 14% on the housing and payment, in total about $2800, through my employer.

Does anyone know whether I am able to claim this tax back, as it is under the tax limit for total earnings in the UK? I don't know about the USA.

Would I claim it back via the USA or the UK?

Thank you

Olivia

jennifernil

You cannot claim it back here, no idea about the US.

Are you woking here now?

Cook_County

What kind of US visa did you have?

antrobus

You could always ask the IRS - http://www.irs.gov/index.html

And they do have a page on 'Non Resident Alien Students' - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199675,00.html - as well as a complete 'US Tax Guide for Aliens'.

ben.bayliss

As a UK resident you are liable to pay UK tax on your worldwide earnings. Are you likely to need to pay any UK income tax this year from other jobs? If your total worldwide income exceeds the personal allowance of £7475 then you would actually need to pay an extra 6% tax in the UK on that USA income to top-up what has already been paid in the USA.

FTBFun

It might be possible to claim it back (from the IRS, nothing to do with the UK), although you'll have to wait until next year I'm afraid as it will entail completing a 1040NR for 2011 which is a non-resident income tax return.

However as ben.bayliss alludes to, you're going to have to pay tax somewhere so it might be the case that the UK government will ask for more money (and you'll likely need to complete a UK tax return).

Cook_County

We still don't know the kind of US visa or number of days spent in the US so can only speculate on the correct answer.

OliviaO

Thanks for your help - it was a J1 student visa and I was in the country for 76 days. My total earnings this year are not enough to be taxed in the UK.

Cook_County

You are required to file a 2011 US income tax return - form 1040NR in the New Year. If you worked in a State that has an income tax you would also file a non-resident State tax return.