Taxes
Yes, everyone who works in the US on a J-1 Visa must file and send a tax return to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).
You must file this by the 15th of April of the year after your Camp program. Failure to do so may lead to penalties.
AmeriCamp are not tax experts, which means we are unable to directly assist with the filing of taxes. For filing your tax return we will direct you to our partners at Sprintax who are able to support you with this.
Not always. Once you complete your tax return, you will be informed whether you are due a refund, or if you owe any money to the IRS. This is linked to how much your Camp withhold from your paycheck, so check with them if you have questions about your payslip.
These are the 2 types of tax that you will owe on your pocket money at Camp. Federal tax is a blanket rate across the US, and State tax varies depending on where your Camp is based.
A W2 is a summary of earnings document, similar to a P60 in the UK. It details what tax has already been withheld, and how much you earned within that tax year. This document is essential to file your tax return, and your Camp must provide this by the 31st of January of the year after you have worked in the US. If your Camp hasn’t sent you this document by this date, please reach out to them directly.
Sprintax is a specialist tax filing service that we work with, who can assist you with the whole process of preparing and filing your return. They specialise in tax returns for non-resident aliens, and will help you prepare all of the necessary paperwork.
Please contact your Camp directly. They should have your social security number on record and be able to provide you with this. AmeriCamp will never have this information.