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This past year I worked under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program after I graduated. I started my employment period March 15th and worked until September 28th. During this time I got paid out in cash/checks to my account because that's how my employer wanted to do it.

I read online that I am to get a W-2 form from my employer that I will submit when I am filing my taxes (in the past my institution has previously licensed an access code for us to use GLACIER Tax Prep), and that I am exempt from social and medicare tax.

I am very confused about what forms I need to acquire and what documentation I am supposed to provide when filing since I did not go through payroll, I was hoping I could get some help here?

I also made less than $7,000 over this period and I moved to the US in 2014 so I was there less than five years (I moved home to Europe this past week), for the record.

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  • The deadline for mailing W-2 copy to recipient=employee (and similarly 1099-MISC for box 7 nonemployee) is Jan 31. To Europe I would expect at least a week for delivery, maybe two. Make sure they have your current address; I don't know if forwarding works internationally for this.
    – dave_thompson_085
    Feb 21, 2018 at 21:38
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    Forwarding internationally will not work unless you have arranged a mail box/international forwarding service which is very expensive. Ask your employer to send it to your new address, I got mine this way. Make sure to tell them early on, you don't want someone at your old address to collect it. Also, if you have friends in USA, you can forward your mails in general to their address for a very small fee (like 1 dollar) through USPS. I do not recommend this for mails with sensitive information but others in general.
    – dusa
    Dec 14, 2019 at 0:01
  • Less than five years, you are exempt from social and medicare tax, while calculating your taxes you will have the standard deduction reduces your taxable income, which is I think $12,200 this year. So you will probably not have to pay anything, and if taxes were already collected they might be refunded. I suggest finding some tutorials online, usually through international student services of universities. GLACIER should help you anyway for at least federal one, all you will need is your W2 form at hand.
    – dusa
    Dec 14, 2019 at 0:08

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I was on OPT in the past. So answer based on experience.

I read online that I am to get a W-2 form from my employer that I will >submit when I am filing my taxes (in the past my institution has >previously licensed an access code for us to use GLACIER Tax Prep), and >that I am exempt from social and medicare tax.

You will use GLACIER again for filing your taxes as you are considered non resident alien for tax purposes. Not sure if GLACIER will file your state taxes. I used CINTAX which didn't file state taxes. (Depending on your state, you may/may not need to file them.)

DO NOT USE H&R Block/Turbo Tax as they will not do the right calculation.

I am very confused about what forms I need to acquire and what >documentation I am supposed to provide when filing since I did not go >through payroll, I was hoping I could get some help here?

Ideally, your employer should provide you with a W2. That is what you need to submit your tax return. It should show your medicare/social security tax withheld as 0. If not, contact your employer to get that money.

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