TerpTax Announcements
TerpTax Appointments Now Available
The Graduate School has once again partnered with TerpTax and the Robert H. Smith School of Business to provide a free, comprehensive tax preparation service for UMD graduate students. Take the mystery out of tax preparation by having competently trained business students get real world experience thru preparing your return...all for free! A win-win for everyone. Appointments available on the website soon!
TerpTax will begin operating from February-April out of Van Munching Hall. Virtual appointments are also available. Visit their website (terptaxumd.org) to find information on what to do to prepare for your appointment and to schedule a virtual appointment with a TerpTax representative.
NEW THIS YEAR - TerpTax now offers a "Self-Prepare" version of their services. With this option you prepare your own return on the provided software and will be assigned an experienced volunteer to answer any questions you may have, either on the software or tax issues. Look for this option by a link on the homepage of their website...terptaxumd.org
Website: terptaxumd.org
Important Announcement for International Students
If you use an online e-filing tax software service that you purchase from external vendors, make sure you are filing the correct form. It is more likely than not that you need to file Form 1040NR and are specifically not allowed to file Form 1040. Further, almost all F status and J status visa holders need to file Form 8843 every year even if you have no income. To the best of our knowledge, no commercial online tax service provides the Form 1040NR for free. Moreover, many states do not recognize treaty benefits so you may have a state tax filing requirement even if you do not have such a requirement for the federal.
If you have already filed a Form 1040 as opposed to a 1040NR please make an appointment with TerpTax to determine if that is correct for you and, if not, they will assist you in making the correction. Failure to comply with the tax law here could interfere with your visa status at any time.
Updated February 1, 2024