U.S. tax help, built forforeign nationals
Consumer tax software treats you as a U.S. resident by default — and routinely produces wrong returns for students, scholars, and visa holders. This short screener points you to the right filing path instead.
Built for nonresident filing complexity
The intake starts with the questions that decide the filing path.
Visa status and entry history
Residency rules start with presence, status, and treaty facts.
Income types and prior filings
W-2, 1042-S, amendments, and notice history all affect the right path.
Safe by design
No SSN or ITIN. No passport, visa, I-94, or tax form uploads at this stage.
CPA review when needed
Complex cases route to a licensed U.S. CPA with foreign-national experience.
How it works
Three steps from uncertainty to a clear path.
No account, no uploads, no pressure. Just a structured intake that gets you to the right answer faster.
Designed to stay lightweight
We keep this stage short on purpose so the screener remains safe, fast, and useful for straightforward cases and edge cases alike.
- Step 01
Answer a few questions
Visa status, entry dates, income types, and any prior filings. No documents, no account, no pressure.
- Step 02
Get a routed recommendation
We match your situation to the right filing path — self-service, CPA consult, amendment, or cohort filing.
- Step 03
Connect with a CPA if needed
If your case needs professional review, a licensed U.S. CPA with foreign-national experience takes it from there.
Common cases
Situations we support
every day.
If any of these sound like you, the screener is built for your case. Each one maps to a specific filing path we already support.
F-1 student with a W-2
First job on OPT or CPT. File as a nonresident and recover over-withheld FICA.
J-1 scholar with a treaty + 1042-S
Treaty benefits, 1042-S income, and often a W-2 on top — easy to miss a form or line item.
Status changed mid-year
Moved from F-1 to H-1B, received a green card, or crossed the substantial presence threshold.
Already filed the wrong way
Used consumer software as a nonresident, or received an IRS notice. Amendments and notice responses handled.
Need an ITIN for a spouse
A W-7 application bundled with the return for a nonworking spouse or dependent.
Planning before you arrive
Starting a U.S. role or program this year. Understand the residency rules before day one.
What to expect
A short intake, handled with care.
We keep this stage deliberately lightweight so the screener stays safe, fast, and useful for everyone — not just the easy cases.
Compliance-friendly by design
The goal is not to collect a full return. It is to establish the right filing path before anyone is pushed into the wrong workflow.
- Who it's for
- F-1 / M-1 students, J-1 scholars, H-1B, H-2A/B, TN, L-1, and O-1 visa holders — plus their dependents. Anyone with U.S. tax questions tied to a non-immigrant or transitional visa status.
- What you'll get
- A clear recommended next step — self-service, a consult with a CPA, an amendment or notice response, or a cohort filing flow — based entirely on your answers.
- What we don't collect
- No SSN or ITIN. No passport, visa, or I-94 uploads. No W-2s or 1042-S forms. This is a screening tool, not a filing tool.
- Who prepares your return
- A licensed U.S. CPA with foreign-national tax experience reviews your case. Consumer tax software is not designed for nonresidents and routinely produces incorrect returns.
Why most tax software gets this wrong
Most tax software wasn't built for foreign nationals.
The risk is not cosmetic. It starts with the wrong assumptions and pushes complex cases into a resident filing flow.
Default logic
Generic tax software
Treats you as a U.S. resident unless you know which screens to override.
CPA-led foreign-national intake
Starts with visa status, entry dates, treaty facts, and residency tests before recommending a path.
Sensitive data
Generic tax software
Often asks for forms and identifiers before it has established whether the filing approach is even correct.
CPA-led foreign-national intake
Uses a short intake with plain-English questions. No SSN or ITIN. No passport, visa, I-94, W-2, or 1042-S uploads at this stage.
Complex cases
Generic tax software
Struggles with treaty benefits, status changes, FICA issues, amendments, and IRS notices.
CPA-led foreign-national intake
Routes edge cases into the right next step — self-service, CPA consult, amendment, notice response, or cohort filing.
Outcome
Generic tax software
Pushes you toward a one-size-fits-all return flow.
CPA-led foreign-national intake
Gives you a clear recommended next step before filing begins.
Find your filing path in the next three minutes.
The screener is free and takes about three minutes. You'll see a recommended next step at the end — no commitment required.