Tax forms often a foreign language to int'l students

Brian D. Rothschild Arizona Daily Wildcat Chanika Vadhanasindhu (left) and Somjit Jirananthiporn, two UA graduate students from Thailand, receive help with their taxes from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. VITA offers free assistance on tax returns from trained accounting students.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which provides free assistance on tax returns, has become very popular among University of Arizona international students who are unfamiliar with the English language and American customs.

During the fiscal year, VITA volunteers see about 600 students, most of whom are international.

"There's been maybe two or three students (per session) that are not international," said Jaime Felix, finance senior and treasurer of the accounting club, which volunteers for VITA. Each session has 20 to 30 students, she said.

VITA volunteers provide one-on-one help and explain how to fill out tax forms. The Internal Revenue Service sponsors the national program, established at the UA three years ago. It offers 20 sessions a year, from late February to April 15.

A 1992 law requires international students to file taxes and report all income including salary, scholarships and any other money from a U.S. source.

Gracie Keena, a VITA volunteer and accounting junior, said international students have problems understanding the forms.

"What form do I use?"; "How much money am I gonna get back?"; and "Do I have to pay?" are the most common questions asked by international students, Keena said.

Kathy Deitering, immigration adviser for the Center for Global Student Programs, said a program like VITA was needed because of the new law. VITA volunteers are trained to know how to fill out the 1040NR and the 1040NR-EZ forms, which are for international persons.

"It is confusing at first," Deitering said. "They (international students) need a little bit of assistance if you expect them to do something new."

All international students are expected to file tax forms, even if they don't have a source of income.Deitering also said that VITA may attract more international students because they don't have the help from parents that other students may get.

"Nobody else can claim them," she said. "And the forms are confusing."

Deitering said that because there aren't many places in Tucson that know how to fill out the international form, VITA attracts a lot of international students. Another advantage, she said, is that the sessions are held on campus.

Felix said difficulty with the language might also be an issue. Also, some international students do not have to pay taxes in their home countries. This makes it harder for them to understand the procedures.

Ganesh Subramaniam, an international student from India, said his biggest concern is to find out how much money he should get back from the government.

"They (VITA) help me figure out my taxes and they help me save money," said Subramaniam, who plans to receive his master's degree in computer engineering from the UA.

Subramaniam said that although the 1040 form is not complex, the rules in filling it out are. He said he wants to make sure he gets back all the money he should. This is his second year getting help from VITA.

VITA plans to hold 12 more sessions between now and April 15, including one today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Memorial Student Union, Room 282. For more information, students can contact the Center for Global Student Programs at 621-4627.