Indians working on H1 Visa Need to Pay US Taxes on Indian Income
US taxes on Indian income is one of the most important topics relevant to the everyday life of Indian-Americans and Indians who reside and work in the United States. In this article, I will focus on the issue of US taxes on Indian Income earned by H1 (mostly H1B) visa holders.
US Taxes on Indian Income and US Tax Residency
Whether an Indian working in the United States needs to pay US taxes on Indian income primarily depends on whether he is a US tax resident. There are three categories of US tax residents – US citizens, US Permanent Residents (i.e. green-card holders), and the individuals who satisfied the Substantial Presence Test.
Any person who is considered to be a US tax resident is required to report his worldwide income on his US tax return and pay US taxes on this income. Hence, if an Indian working in the United States on H1 visa has Indian-source income and he satisfied the Substantial Presence Test, he would be required to pay US taxes on his Indian income, not just income earned in the United States.
US Taxes on Indian Income: the Substantial Presence Test
The Substantial Presence Test is very important in US tax law because it affects millions of foreigners who reside in or visit the United States. The Substantial Presence Test basically states that any individual who is physically present in the United States for 183 days or more within the most recent three-year period is considered to be a US tax resident.
The 183 days are calculated as follows: all days spent in the current year + one-third of the days spent in the year immediately prior to the current year + one-sixth of the days spent in the year right before the prior year (in other words, the second year before the current year) “Current year” here means the year for which you are trying to figure out whether you were a tax resident.
Failure to Pay US Taxes on Indian Income May Result in IRS Penalties and Endangerment of Your Immigration Status
Any Indian who is a US tax resident and fails to pay US taxes on Indian income runs a great risk of the imposition of IRS penalties. If the failure to pay US taxes on Indian income is combined with the failure to file information returns, such as FBARs, then his legal situation in the United States becomes extremely precarious.
Not only are the IRS penalties extremely high (such a person may owe to the IRS more than the balance on your unreported accounts), including criminal penalties with potential jail time, but his immigration status may be endangered as a result of his US tax noncompliance.
Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Professional Help With Your Undisclosed Indian Income and Indian Foreign Accounts
Given these extreme risks, an Indian working in the United States on H1 visa should contact Sherayzen Law Office for professional legal and tax help as soon as possible.
We have helped numerous clients from India to reduce and even, in some cases, completely eliminate their IRS penalties and bring their US tax affairs into full compliance with US tax laws, thereby preserving their immigration status.
We can help you! Contact Us Today to Schedule Your Confidential Consultation!