Program Updates
Employer FAQ's
For tax purposes, you are required to fill out a W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate as soon as you start working. Your employer will give you a W-4 Form. It is your responsibility to complete and submit the W-4 Form to your employer. Based on the information you provide on the W-4 Form, your employer will calculate the amount of federal, state, and local taxes to be withheld from your paycheck. HOW TO COMPLETE THE W4 FORM Your host organization will ask you to fill out a W4 form (shown below) before you begin your program. If your host organization completed this form for you, show these instructions to your employer. Following the instructions below will insure that you are in compliance with IRS regulations and have the proper amount withheld. INSTRUCTIONS Note: The instructions below may not be used by married individuals from Canada and Mexico or students and business apprentices from India. Use the instructions in Publication 15 (2020), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide, chapter 9 Withholding From Employees’ Wages, Non-resident employee to calculate the amount withheld and Notice 1392 - Supplemental Form W-4 Instructions for Nonresident Aliens. Complete in full Step 1. On line (c), Step 1, check only “single or married filing separately” marital status (regardless of marital status) In the blank space under line 4 (c) enter “NRA” Complete Step 5, dates, employer’s details and sign in the relevant spaces and leave the rest of the form blank (Page
Publication 15 (2021), (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)
For tax purposes, an alien is an individual who is not a U.S. citizen. Aliens are classified as nonresident aliens and resident aliens. Publication 519 will help you determine your status and give you information you will need to file your U.S. tax return.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p519
Participants will need a copy of this record when applying for important documents like the Social Security number or other forms of identification in the U.S. They will choose "Get Most Recent I-94". https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home#section
If you cannot locate a record at www.cbp.gov/I94 showing "Not Found" it is possible that the Form I-94 does not exist because of a system error. It is more likely that the Form I-94 is in the CBP system, but the data is formatted differently than the foreign national entered it, so the I-94 is "hiding." A few things you can try:
- Enter the name as stated in the passport, visa or submitted Form DS-160.
- Enter the first and middle name in the first name field.
- Enter the visa foil number instead of passport number
- Switch the order of the names.
- Call AHA so they can try to retrieve with the information entered into SEVIS
Call or Visit the Deferred Inspection Office
If none of the above efforts resolve the issue, or if there is an error on the I-94 telephone or visit the CBP Deferred Inspection Office and explain the problem. Some of the deferred inspection offices have been able to resolve the problem over the phone without an in-person visit; however, other offices may require an in-person visit with the nonimmigrant. Contact information for the deferred inspection offices can be found on CBP's website. https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/deferred-inspection-sites
A "DHS Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC)" results when the information entered in E-Verify does not initially match U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records. A "DHS TNC" does not necessarily mean that the employee is not authorized to work in the United States.
A "DHS TNC" case result may occur because the employee's Name, A-number, I-94 number and/or foreign passport number were recorded incorrectly in DHS records
* U.S. Passport, Passport Card, driver’s license or state ID card information could not be verified
* Information was not updated in the employee's DHS records
* Citizenship or immigration status changed
* Record contains another type of error
* Information was not entered correctly by the employer
Both the employer and employee have responsibilities when E-Verify returns a "DHS TNC" case result:
Tax season is coming up and we want to review important information about J1 visa holders filing for taxes. Please share this with anyone that is in contact with and communicates with J1 Cultural Exchange participants.
J-1 Exchange Visitors must file with form 1040NR; which is not the same form as U.S. residents.
They must use tax preparation services that are specific to the 1040NR form.
TurboTax and H&R Block programs do not support filing with a Form 1040NR. Using this type of software will show the J-1 Exchange Visitor to be filing erroneously as U.S. resident. Doing so intentionally or unintentionally will appear as tax fraud to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Beware of Ghost Preparers and tax scams
The Department of State is also aware of individuals and companies, based either in the United States or abroad, who target returned exchange visitors offering their services to help them obtain these payments and/or a tax refund for a fee. Be cautious of individuals or companies offering to file tax returns. Please review the following information provided by the IRS on warning signs of “ghost preparers” (who file the returns but refuse to sign as the preparer). https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/beware-of-ghost-preparers-who-dont-sign-tax-returns
Where can J-1 Exchange Visitors file for taxes correctly?
Any Tax Preparation company that can file Form 1040NR. Sprintax is a tax preparation company that specializes in exchange programs and has the correct forms to complete tax returns for non-residents.
We have arranged discounted access with Sprintax to help you prepare a compliant tax return. Sprintax will guide you through the tax preparation process, arrange the necessary documents and check if you’re due a tax refund. Click on the link and use the Sprintax discount code: 21AHA40F5
For these details and more go to the AHA Resource Page on filing taxes: https://www.americanhospitalityacademy.com/resource-page.php?ID=8
There are important regulations that must be followed when hosting interns and trainees in your organization. Please refer to the attached document for detailed information. https://aha.americanhospitalityacademy.com/faq/Training Plan Guidelines 2021.pdf