CCUSA Tax Service has relocated!
Our new details:
2330 Marinship Way, Suite 250, Sausalito, CA 94965
1-415-339-2739 and 1-800-277-8062 (toll free)
Questions or concerns? Contact us at Tax@ccusa.com
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Introduction
Welcome to the CCUSA Tax service -- the quickest and easiest way to get your US
tax return completed, so you get your refund fast!
Most questions regarding the service and your refund processing can be answered
below. First check the categories below for your specific question before
contacting the CCUSA Tax Service office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enrollment
Filing Tax Return Documents with the Government
Fees
The W-2 Form
Expenses/Receipts
Tax Refunds
Taxation
Communication
Enrollment
I need your help to file my tax return. What do I have to do?
You need to complete two documents: 1) the CCUSA Tax Service ‘contract’ and 2) the
CCUSA Tax Service ‘power of attorney’. Download the tax service enrollment package below that pertains
to your program and year, which contains both the forms you will need:
If you are a participant from a previous year, please contact the CCUSA Tax
Service Office
I understand what a contract is but what is a ‘power of attorney’?
This is an official document whereby you give the CCUSA Tax Service certain
limited powers or rights. The IRS requires a power of attorney in all cases
where someone other than you files your tax return. By signing this form, you
give the attorney-in-fact (that’s us) the right to act on your behalf and do
two things: file your tax return and accept your tax refund check. It does not
give the CCUSA Tax Service any rights other than those specified above and it
is revocable by you at any time you wish before we file your tax return.
What parts of the ‘contract’ and ‘power of attorney’ documents do I need to
complete?
You must complete all the questions – your name, your current mailing address,
your current email address. You must be sure to put your initials next to #4
and #5 on the ‘power of attorney’ document. (Do not put an “x” or a check mark
instead of your initials!) You must sign and date both documents in order for
them to be valid. If you do not remember your CCUSA or WEUSA ID number, leave
those spaces blank.
How should I get the ‘contract’ and the ‘power of attorney’ documents to you?
Since these are legal documents, we must have originals. Please POST these
documents to us at our address:
CCUSA Tax Service
2330 Marinship Way, Suite 250
Sausalito, CA 94965
Be sure to send us the original documents you have downloaded.
Do I have to include any fees for your service along with my documents when I
mail them to you?
No. You do not need to worry about payment now. We will deduct our fees when we
obtain your tax refund from the government. We will send you the balance as
your refund.
Will I receive my refund as soon as you receive my ‘contract’ and my ‘power of
attorney’?
NO! This process can go very smoothly and relatively quickly if all the pieces
fall into place. However, if the W2 form(s) are delayed in arriving, if you do
not receive our tax questionnaire via email or receive it and do not respond
quickly, if the papers are submitted and the tax authorities have questions,
the entire process slows down. Depending on how responsive you and your
employers are to us and to our questions, makes all the difference in how
quickly you receive your refund! Remember, the approximate time it takes to
receive your refund from the government, once we have filed your paperwork, is
8-14 weeks.
Can you give me an overview of the tax process and how it works?
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We receive your ‘contract’ and your ‘power of attorney’.
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In January/February we receive a W2 form from each employer for whom you
worked.
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When we receive a W2 form, we contact you via email with our tax questionnaire.
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We receive your responses to our tax questionnaire. If we have all the W2 forms
(one from each of your employers), we file your tax paperwork with the
government. (If we do not have all your W2 forms, we must wait to receive them
before proceeding further.)
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We wait for the government tax authorities to review the paperwork and send us
your refund.
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We receive your refund. We will email you that we are sending your refund. We
will also email your CCUSA Tax Service Statement to you at that
time. We deduct our fees and send you the balance in the manner that you
requested on your questionnaire.
Filing Tax Return Documents with the Government
Why should I file a tax return with the U.S. government?
There are three very good reasons to do so.
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It is required by U.S. tax regulations. For 2008 it is required if you earn over
$3500.
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It may make your obtaining a U.S. visa in the future easier.
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It will enable you to receive all or most of the federal and state tax you had
withheld from your paychecks as a refund.
What happens if I don’t file tax returns in the U.S.?
In 2008 all J-1 Visa holders who earn over $3500 are required by law to file tax returns in the U.S. If you
don’t, you will be breaking the law. Because of heightened security in the
U.S., it is more likely that the authorities will keep track of J-1 visa
holders and whether you file tax returns. We advise you in the strongest of
terms to file tax returns.
How hard is it to file U.S. taxes by myself?
Accurately filling out the proper forms is not easy, even for savvy tax-paying
citizens. As a non-resident alien, you have different regulations that require
special knowledge. Also, if you work in multiple tax years, you will need to
file tax returns for each year. Forms are not available until the end of the
tax year, which makes the challenge even greater. Will you remember to get and
file the right forms over a year from now?
If I use the Tax Service, will I have to find and fill out all of the IRS tax
forms?
No. That is the reason you are signing our Contract and Power of Attorney
forms. We will be authorized to do it all for you.
What happens if more than one tax return is filed for me for the same tax
year?
There can be serious consequences if we file your tax return without
knowing that you already filed a tax return either by yourself or through
another tax preparation service.
Once you contract us to file your taxes, you should NEVER, EVER file
an additional tax return for that same tax year. Double filing can result in
your owing taxes to the government! Once this happens it is very difficult and
very time consuming to correct the error.
Is it too late to file a tax return after the April 15th deadline? It is
NOT too late to file your tax return if the April 15th deadline has passed.
However, it is to your benefit to file as early as possible. You will receive
your tax refund much sooner. The longer you wait to get us your paperwork, the
busier we and the IRS become resulting in a much longer wait for your refund.
Some states also charge penalty fees for late submissions.
Fees
What is the cost of this service?
You will pay 8% of the amount withheld from each year’s paychecks while you
work in the U.S. with a minimum of $55 and a maximum of $95 per tax year.
If I return to the program two years in a row, what will be the maximum fee
I pay?
You will pay a minimum fee of $55-$95 for each tax year.
The contract describes extra fees. What are these for?
You will be given a choice of how you want us to send you your refund. We can
send a U.S. check to your address or make a direct deposit to your bank or send
a Western Union payment (to most countries). We will charge you a processing
fee for the direct deposit and Western Union.
The W-2 Form
What is a W-2 form and why do you need it?
A W-2 Wage and Tax Statement is an official record of the amount of money you
earned and the amount of tax withheld from your paychecks. Each employer for
whom you work must print this form. We must have this form in order to file
your tax return with the U.S. government.
When does my employer print the W-2 form?
Each employer is required by law to print the W-2 form in January of each year
for the preceding tax year. Therefore, an employer will print a 2008 W2 form in January
2009.
Where will my W-2 Wage and Tax Statement be sent by my employer?
If you use our address on your W-4 form when you begin employment, your W-2
will be sent to our Tax Service address because your W-2 is sent to whatever
address you give on your W-4. (See our
sample
W-4 form.)
Can my W-2 Wage and Tax Statement be sent to me?
Yes but we recommend you have your W-2 sent to the CCUSA Tax Service directly.
This eliminates your receiving it and either forgetting to forward it to us or
losing it in the process.
Can I submit my paycheck stubs instead of a W-2 form?
No, we require a W-2 form in order to file your tax return. We cannot
substitute your paycheck stubs.
What if my employer doesn’t send the W-2 form to the CCUSA Tax Service?
If we don’t receive the W2 form in a timely manner, we will let you know so
that you can contact your employer to ask for it. It is your responsibility to
contact your employer and ask that the W-2 form be sent to us. We cannot do
this for you.
What if I receive the W-2 form from my employer at my home in my home
country?
If you receive it, you should immediately post ALL COPIES to our address (see
below).
How will I know if you have or have not received my W-2 form(s)?
You will know that we have received it because you will receive our ‘tax
questionnaire’.
You will know we have not received it because we will email you to inform you
that we are still waiting for your W-2.
What do I do if my employer doesn't send the W2 form and doesn't respond to
my calls and emails?
Although the employer is obliged to send the W2 form, sometimes unfortunately,
he/she does not. The IRS lists a 'help line' for people who cannot obtain their
W2 forms from employers.
After February 14th the IRS will help you. Call
1-800-829-1040. There is no guarantee that this will work but it is worth a
try. The CCUSA Tax Service cannot place this call for you or contact your
employers directly.
What do I do if my employer goes out of business and I cannot reach him to
obtain the W2?
In some cases, Form 4852 can be used instead of the W2 but NOT IN EVERY CASE.
It should be used as a last resort only. You would need to download the form
from the IRS website (www.irs.gov), fill it out including ALL the information
requested (this includes wages, taxes withheld, employer information, .... ).
Most of this information will be listed on the LAST paycheck stub you received
from your employer. You must send the original of this form to the CCUSA Tax
Service as well as a clear copy of your last paycheck stub.
Expenses/Receipts
What types of expenses can I deduct on my tax return?
In the past, we were able to deduct ‘non-reimbursed business expenses’ in order
to get a full refund of your federal taxes. These expenses include items like
your program fees, travel costs, meals and lodging. However, in recent months
we are finding it more and more difficult to use these expenses as deductions.
The IRS is disallowing these deductions and returning only a partial refund of
the federal taxes withheld from participants’ paychecks. We will continue to do
our best to get the maximum refund for you that is possible. Our goal of
course, is to get a full refund of these taxes but we cannot guarantee this
result.
If I earn income from tipping, do I need to report it?
Yes. The tax authorities have estimates of how much income workers earning tips
should report. You are required by law to report all income earned in the U.S.
on your tax returns.
Should I keep my receipts for employment-related expenses?
Yes. We recommend you keep all employment-related expense receipts in an
envelope. DO NOT SEND THEM TO THE CCUSA TAX SERVICE OFFICE!
How long do I need to keep employment-related expense receipts?
The tax regulations in the U.S. require you to keep receipts used to claim
deductions for 3 years from the time your return is filed. We recommend you
keep all records for 7 years.
How much of the sales tax that I paid when I purchased things in the U.S.
can I expect to receive?
None! Sales tax is a non-refundable tax. We will file your tax return in order
to receive a refund for money withheld from your paychecks in the form of
federal and state tax.
Tax Refunds
How much refund can I expect to receive?
For the majority of participants, it is possible to claim a refund for all or
most of the federal and state taxes withheld from your paycheck. * (See the
first Q&A under “Expenses” above.) You will never receive more money than
the amount you had withheld from your paychecks!
How will I receive my refund?
You will have several options for payment of your refund. Your options are a
U.S. check, a direct deposit (wire transfer) to your bank or a Western Union payment.
Not all options are available in all countries. We will advise you of any additional
fees for these options
Can I cash a U.S. check in my country?
You can deposit a U.S. check into your bank account. You must wait for your
bank to clear or OK the check before you can access the funds. Your bank may
charge you a small fee to convert the U.S. funds to your currency.
Can my refund be sent to my U.S. bank instead of my home country bank?
Yes, but remember it may be several months before we receive your paperwork,
file it with the U.S. government, receive your refund and make arrangements to
send it to you. You will most likely be back in your home country by the time
you receive your refund.
Where will my refund check be sent?
Your refund check will be sent to your address in your home country unless you
direct us to do otherwise.
When should I expect my refund check?
The U.S. Tax filing date is April 15 of each tax year. Typically, U.S.
authorities will take 8-14 weeks to process returns…if all goes well. A
reasonable expectation is receipt of your refund check by August 15 but this
depends on how quickly you get us your W-2 forms and how quickly you respond to
our questionnaire. The 8-14 week turn-around time is an approximation only.
What should I do if it takes longer than 8-14 weeks to receive my refund?
Nothing. There is nothing you can do. We monitor each tax return we submit to
the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). If we believe your refund is taking too
long to arrive, we will contact the IRS to learn the status. Ultimately
however, we have no control over how long it takes the IRS or the state tax
authorities to respond and send us your refund.
Should I be concerned if my friend receives his refund before me?
Every tax return is processed and reviewed on a case-by-case basis and by
different tax agents. Even when tax returns are submitted to the tax
authorities at the same time, there can be a great difference in turn-around
time between one or another tax return.
Taxation
If I pay taxes in the U.S. will I have to pay taxes back home for the same
income?
Typically, the answer is no. Please contact the tax authorities in your home
country.
What taxes can I expect to have withheld from my paycheck?
You should have federal and state taxes withheld. Your employer may want to
withhold Medicare and Social Security taxes as well but he/she should not! J-1
visa holders are exempt from paying Medicare and Social Security tax.
What if my employer erroneously withholds Medicare and Social Security
taxes from my paycheck?
Once you know that your employer has withheld the Medicare and Social Security
taxes from your paycheck, you should alert him/her immediately. Ask your
employer to refund this money to you right away. It is very, very difficult, if
not impossible, to get a refund of these taxes later from the IRS.
Do I still have to file a tax return if my employer withholds no federal
and/or state taxes?
Yes. If you earn money in the U.S., regardless of what taxes (if any) are
withheld, you are required to file a tax return if you have earned over $3500.
Will there be any negative consequences if my employer withholds no federal
and/or state tax?
You must file a tax return in order to comply with U.S. tax
regulations however, since you paid no tax, you will recieve no refund. In a
small number of cases, depending on how much money you earned, you may owe the
government money and you will be asked to pay this tax. This rarely happens but
it is a possibility when no taxes are withheld by your employer.
Communication
How do you communicate with me?
We contact you via email. It is very important that you provide us with an
accurate email address on your ‘contract’ and that you let us know if you
change email addresses during the tax season.
How can I communicate directly with you?
Although we would like to answer each and every question you have individually,
it is impossible to communicate on a one-to-one basis with all our participants
during the "peak" of the tax season. The Q&A’s are designed to explain the process to you and make
the whole tax process easier for you to understand. If however, you have a
question which is not answered above, you can reach us by telephone toll-free
at 800-277-8062 or from outside the U.S. at: 1-415-339-2739.
How will I know the status of my tax return - if you have received all the
necessary documents, if there are any problems, when I will be receiving my
refund, etc. ?
We will contact you via email as we complete each step of the process. You will
hear from us:
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when we welcome you officially to the CCUSA Tax Service after we have received
your ‘contract’ and your ‘power of attorney’.
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when we receive your first W2 form. We will email you to complete our Tax
Questionnaire.
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when we have filed your tax return and have sent it to the government tax
authorities.
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when we have received your refund after the ‘waiting period’ and are ready to
send you your tax refund and CCUSA Tax Service Statement.
CCUSA Tax Service
2330 Marinship Way, Suite 250
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel: 1-800-277-8062
Tel: 1-415-339-2739
Email:
tax@ccusa.com