New international employees must schedule tax appointment

The International Tax Office in Employee Services strives to be a valuable touchpoint for international employees throughout their CU careers – and that all begins with an International Tax Appointment.

Who should meet with an International Tax Specialist?

The University of Colorado requires all new international employees – student employees, staff, faculty members and researchers – and foreign stipend recipients to meet with an International Tax Specialist.

Important reminders:

• Scholarship and stipend payments made to international students may be subject to U.S. income tax.
• By March 15, 1042-S forms will be sent to the employee’s mailing address that was on file in the portal on Jan. 12, 2018. 

During the appointment, a specialist will explain the tax rules that apply to the employee, determine and document their U.S. tax residency status, clarify personal tax filing requirements and help them complete related tax forms.

To prepare for an appointment, employees should:

• Bring passport, I-94, and immigration documents (I-20, DS-2019, H1B approval, etc.). A Social Security number is not required for the appointment, but if one has been issued it should also be brought to the appointment.
• Plan to review their entire history of presence in the United States, including previous visits in different immigration statuses. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintains an online travel history with arrivals and departures for the past five years. Employees can access their travel history here.

They should leave their appointment with an understanding of their U.S. tax residency status and personal responsibilities as a U.S. taxpayer.

It’s best if employees schedule an appointment as soon as they are hired at CU, and ideally before they receive their first paycheck, to avoid errors in their pay. However, these appointments fill fast, and it can take between two weeks to four weeks before they become available.

If a new international employee cannot schedule an appointment before they receive their first paycheck, delayed appointment availability will not affect their ability to begin working or negatively affect their pay. (Employee Services will retroactively adjust their pay, when necessary, to ensure it is taxed correctly.)

To book an appointment, click here. To learn more, visit the Employee Services' international employee webpage.