If you work in the United States as an F or M student, you may be required to pay income taxes to the U.S. government. Taxes pay for government services, like the military, health care, schools and roads. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury administers tax collection from workers each spring. To pay, you must file a tax return, where you report any income you earned during the previous calendar year. This includes all of the following:

• Income from wages
• Reception of a grant, fellowship, or scholarship
• Interest from stock options
• Lottery or gambling winnings
• Other types of non-wage income

This year, the IRS tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 15, 2014, so it is time to start preparing. After filling out your tax return, you will know how much, if any, you must pay.

In order to file your taxes, you need to fill out a tax return form with your Social Security number. Everyone who works in the United States must apply for a Social Security number and enter it in their tax return, which helps the IRS maintain accurate working records. If you are not eligible for a Social Security number but need to report income to the IRS, you can apply for an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). You can learn more on our ITIN resource page. If you have any questions, talk to your designated school official.