Below are some pointers from the MSU College of Law Tax Clinic to help simplify the process.

What you need

• Know your social security number.
• Have your address on hand. International students must have both their U.S. address and their home country addresses.
• W-2, 1042-S and/or 1099 forms are required to fill out the tax return. The W-2 form represents your annual wages and the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck. The 1042-S form lists a foreign person’s income, subject to withholding. The 1099 forms are for self-employed individuals who are paid by individual contractors instead of a full-time employer.
• Have your 2011 federal income tax return if you filed for taxes last year.

Tips to Keep in Mind

When filing for a tax refund, it is critical to check all of the information being entered. Public Interest Fellow for the MSU College of Law Tax Clinic Christina Thompson emphasized double and triple checking numbers, especially with direct deposit.

“It’s a great tool to have direct deposit, but you have to make sure those numbers are 100 percent accurate because it can be deposited into someone else’s account if you do make a mistake,” Thompson said.

Don’t forget to sign the tax refunds before mailing them to the IRS and the Michigan Department of Treasury. An unsigned tax return is not valid. Also check the year on the form. Returns filed this year are from 2012.

Ways to Pay
There are many ways for students to file their taxes, with many options such as TurboTax or H and R Block.

However, the MSU Tax Clinic offers free tax seminars in conjunction with the Office of International Students and Scholars.

There still are open slots for the March 16 resident tax seminar and for the March 16 and 23 nonresident tax seminars.

For more information on how to register for any of the tax seminars, visit the MSU College of Law website.

Source: Public Interest Fellow for the MSU College of Law Tax Clinic Christina Thompson