US Tax questions

1/  You can file your own tax.  File manually or online, both are free of charge.  TurboTax is an electronic service (fee involved) that does practically everything for you and the chance for errors is slim to none.  We've been using it for the last 20+ years except during the years when we needed an Enrolled Agent (ER).

You don't communicate with the IRS unless they audit you.  If you hire a CPR or ER to file your tax and end up being audited, your CPR or ER will represent you.  If your tax is simple, there's no need to use the professionals.

2/  Fed tax forms (1040 or 1040EZ and accompanying forms) go to the IRS.  As you're living in CA,  you file state tax (540 or 540-2EZ, and any accompanying forms) with Franchise Tax Board (FTB). 

Hold on to your copies of all forms, documents, receipts, etc. for at least 6 years.  Statute of limitation for Fed tax used to be 3 years, but I've seen many cases when the audit went much further back.

3/ and 4/  None that I know of.  Your tax information is not available to anyone but you, the IRS, FTB, and officers of the court (if you find yourself in an investigation or legal battle).

Agree with the comments above.

If this is your first year in the US, it is generally recommended you get in touch with a US income tax expert like a CPA or enrolled agent. Also, when working with a tax professional, please make sure you get a clear information (summary guide or easy steps to follow) on the federal, state, and local tax filing system. This will make it less painful in the following year or years when you file your taxes on your own if your case is simple. The first year is not generally easy for any expat!

Due to the recent tax law changes, your 2018 tax returns may be different than 2017.

You can always request from the IRS a transcript of your federal tax declaration at the IRS website. the same is applicable to the States.

Good luck!

multipass123 wrote:

Hi there,

I started a job in the US last year and I'm taxable in the US (over 183 days etc). As the US tax system seems to work differently than in other countries I've been to, I have a few questions about the process and I hope someone can help me to get some orientation:

When you say last year, do you mean 2017?  If you had taxable US income in 2017 it was due 4/15/18.  Penalties and interest will be charged if not filed and paid on time.  In addition you may want to see if you are having enough federal income tax withheld on your paychecks.  If you are self employed you will have to pay self employment taxes of about 15% of your net income.  If you have enough withheld for 2018 and pay your taxes by 4/15/19 then you will owe no penalties or interest as long as the amount due with the return was $1,000 or less. Now is a good time to do tax planning by projecting your income for 2018 and taxes withheld to see if any adjustments are required.
Good luck

Yes April 15 is the last day to filed your taxes. The more money you make the more IRS takes. If you are a freelancer or self-employed you pay your taxes at the end of the year. If you are employed by an company IRS will take out taxes before you can even receive your pay check.

ReeseJ wrote:

Yes April 15 is the last day to filed your taxes. The more money you make the more IRS takes. If you are a freelancer or self-employed you pay your taxes at the end of the year. If you are employed by an company IRS will take out taxes before you can even receive your pay check.

If you owe more than $1,000 at the end of the year then there will be penalties and interest applied, calculated like a quarter of the taxes were due April of the year, another quarter were due June, another quarter due in September and the last quarter due by January of the following year.  Interest rates are not low.

Ciambella wrote:

If you hire a CPR or ER to file your tax and end up being audited, your CPR or ER

Oops. Typo.  I should've said CPA instead. 

But then again, if the IRS swings an audit on you, you'll probably need CPR to resuscitate your heart.