US tax preparation for J-1 students
Everyone who works in the US pays a federal and state tax on their income. The amount is determined by federal, state, and local governments. In the US, you are entitled to a refund of taxes you overpaid. Participants of the Work and Travel in the USA program work in the USA for about 4 months. This makes it possible in most cases to have a refund of part of the taxes paid /Tax Refund/. We will help you get back your overpaid taxes.
Why choose us?
US tax expertise
Our tax preparers are registered with the IRS and comply annually with the continuing education requirements mandated by law. We guarantee that your tax return complies with US law and we don’t use middlemen.
Online application
The whole procedure is entirely online. You sign electronically, upload the documents, and track the tax refund process entirely online.
Quick refund
We file all documents electronically with the IRS. Your return and tax refunds are processed faster. If they are submitted on paper by mail, it takes much longer.
Fixed rate
Уour service has a fixed price. The price is determined in advance and is not formed as a percentage of the refunded amount.
Our process
Free estimate of your refund amount
Fill out our questionnaire. You will receive the refund/payment estimate by email. You can submit an inquiry even before you receive your W-2 form since the last paycheck shows the taxes paid and the compensation received.
Prepare Your Tax Documents And Book Your Appointment
If you decide to work with us, upload your current tax documents – W-2, Paychecks, Passport, Social Security Card, and prior year tax return. Book your virtual or in person appointment with us (phone/Zoom/Viber).
At Your In-person/Virtual Appointment
We will give you a call/meet you to discuss your tax filing requirements and provide you best customer service. Plan 30 minutes or more for your appointment. We are located in Sofia and can provide in-person services in Bulgarian.
Tax Filing
Once we prepare your tax return we will send it to you for signature and approval. After we file your tax return to IRS/State you will receive a link to our secure portal for your tax returns and a message with all the necessary information. You can track the status of your return online.
How will I get my tax refund?
When the IRS/State processes the return and approves a refund, it sends your overpaid taxes.
The standard option for receiving US taxes is in the form of a registered check. It is issued by the tax authorities in your name and arrives in about 2-4 weeks from the approval to the specified address in Bulgaria. Very few Bulgarian banks and financial institutions provide cashing of US checks and therefore we at Junior Tax do not recommend receiving your refund by check. We recommend using one of the following two options:
1. Your US Bank account/Payoneer/Wise/Revolut. You can also choose the faster option where the IRS transfers the amount directly to your US bank account. This takes an average of 1-2 weeks from approval. You can also register a Payoneer/Wise/Revolut account with a US account and routing number where you can receive your refund.
2. Directly into your Bulgarian bank account. To receive your refund to your Bulgarian bank account, when submitting your tax return, you will have to explicitly authorize us to receive your refund to our US bank account and then we will transfer it to your Bulgarian bank account. For this service, we charge a fee which is % of the amount of your refund.
What taxes are withdrawn in the US?
Federal Income Tax. This tax is usually around 10% of the amount spent. It is paid to the federal tax office, the so-called IRS.
State tax on income. This tax is usually between 2% and 8% and is paid to the tax office of the state in which you worked during the time of the WAT program. It is important to know that several states do not have such a tax – Alaska, Florida, Nevada, Texas, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.
Local taxes – these taxes are paid only in certain cities such as New York, as well as in some cities in New Jersey, Ohio, etc. These taxes rarely exceed 1-2% of income during the brigade.
Social Security Tax and Medicare Tax (FICA) are another type of tax. According to tax regulations, all exchange program participants are exempt from paying them. There are two options for you: the first is to request them on the spot from the employer (or not to deduct them from your salary) or the second option is to request them from the tax office when you return from the brigade. If you have complied with all the terms of the program and keep the necessary documents, the IRS will refund you in full. It is important to know that this applies to the J-1 visa.
Prices
Federal
$100
Choose this service if you only need to file a federal tax return. You pay for the service at the time of filing and receive your refund directly from the IRS by check in your name or wire transfer to your US bank account/Payoneer/Wise/Revolut account.
Federal + state
$150
Choose this service to prepare and send your returns – federal and state. You pay for the service at the time of filing and receive your refund directly from the IRS and state with checks in your name or wire transfers to your US bank account/Payoneer/Wise/Revolut account.
What documents do you need?
Paycheck/payslip
A paycheck or payslip is the document you receive with every paycheck, regardless of whether it’s banked or a check is issued. It lists the money earned and taxes withheld at the time of issue. It has YTD TAXES written on it. This is the money you will get back in full or in part depending on how much money you have earned. If you have worked for more than one employer, you must submit a recent paycheck from each of them.
W-2 form
The W-2 form is issued by the employer after the end of the year, and it describes what income you received from him and what taxes were withheld in total for the entire year. It is the employer’s duty to send you a W-2 between January 1-31 of the following year. If you have worked for more than one employer, you must have a W-2 form from each of them.
You usually receive a W-2 form at your permanent address in Bulgaria by mail at the end of January of the following year. In order to receive a W-2 form in the correct location, you must have provided an accurate address. If you did not receive the form by mail, you can contact your employer to send it to you online.
The most recent paycheck is sufficient to calculate your tax refund, and the W-2 form is recommended for filing your tax return. However, if you’re having trouble getting a W-2, in most cases a recent paycheck will be enough.
Passport and visa
We need the first page of your passport and visa for the year you are declaring your taxes.
For example: You were on a work and travel program in 2024 and you need to send us your visa for 2024.
Social Security Card
It is issued by the Social Security Administration at the beginning of the stay in the USA. The number on this card is used by the IRS to identify you. Based on this number, taxes are charged and the status of your tax return can be tracked.
Average amount of tax refunds to our customers
Frequently asked questions
What are the taxes we pay in the US?
You will pay three types of taxes:
1. Federal tax – it is most often 10% of the income of temporarily employed employees;
2. State tax – varies from 1 to 13% depending on which state you worked in;
3. Local tax – city/municipal tax.
You may also pay FICA tax which should not be withheld. If FICA tax has been withheld from you, we can help you get a refund.
When will I receive my refund?
It usually takes about 3-5 months, the exact time is determined by the tax authorities and the respective state and may be changed by them during the tax refund process. The US tax refund process runs from February 1st to April 15th. Junior Tax prepares and electronically sends your tax return to the tax authorities as soon as possible after you request and pay for the service.
What is the deadline for submitting my tax return?
April 15 is the deadline for submitting all tax returns for the previous year, but you can also apply up to 3 years prior to the current one.
What is the length of the tax year?
A tax year in the United States begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st.
What is your commission?
What is the difference between filing a US tax return and receiving US tax refund?
How do I know what stage my tax refund is at?
You can track the stages of your tax refund through your personal secure online Junior Tax account. It records any update or action taken on your case, as well as any additional documents or information we may need from you. You can also track your tax status on the IRS website: https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp
Do I need to file a tax return?
Yes, under US law, if you worked and had income in the US, you are required to file a tax return.
How is the refund amount calculated?
The US has a progressive tax system. The refundable amount is calculated on the basis of the total income and taxes deducted during the financial year. The higher your income is above the tax-free minimum, the less overpaid tax you can get back. The state tax rate varies from state to state. We are informed of all rates for all states.
I only received part of my taxes. Is it a mistake?
Federal and state taxes are refunded by different tax authorities. For this reason, the two types of tax are refunded separately and may be received at different times.
What should I do if I don't have all the necessary documents?
If you don’t have a recent slip, W-2 form(s), or DS-2019, you can still apply for a tax refund. We will obtain the missing documents as we offer the service of obtaining tax refund documents. Write to us!
What amount will I receive?
The amount you will receive depends on the specific case. Our tax experts will make every effort to ensure the maximum tax refund allowed by law. The amount depends on factors such as:
- Your visa
- Your income
- What state did you work in
- How long have you worked
The average tax refund to our J-1 visa clients is about $850.
Can you guarantee that I will receive the amount you calculated?
No, but we can guarantee that you will get back the full amount that you are legally entitled to. Our tax calculator gives a fairly accurate estimate of the taxes you’ll get back.
Could I owe money to the IRS?