Everyone who earns income in the United States is required to report it to the federal government and pay taxes by April 15 every year, if applicable. The money raised by taxes contributes to government services like the military, schools and roads. As an F or M student, you may be required to pay taxes if you have been employed or earned any sort of income. Some examples of taxable income you must report include:

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

Taxes are filed through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This year, the IRS tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 15, 2014 and if you have not yet paid taxes, or are not sure if you need to, now is a good time to prepare. To file your taxes, you need to complete a tax return form with your Social Security number (SSN). If you are not eligible for a SSN but still need to report income to the IRS, you can apply for an individual taxpayer identification number.

If you have any questions, talk to your designated school official.