Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, Which Is My Tax Home of Them All? – Foreign Students Face Dilemma in the U.S.

Volume 6 No 1   |   Read Article

By Neha Rastogi and Beate Erwin

The U.S. Department of State administers the Exchange Visitor Program, which designates sponsors to provide foreign nationals with opportunities to participate in educational and cultural programs in the U.S. and return home to share their experiences. These students receive taxable stipends, file tax returns, and reduce taxable income by costs associated with participation. Unfortunately, a recent Tax Court case, Liljeberg v. Commr., has determined that the travel and lodging costs of these individuals could not be deducted. Neha Rastogi and Beate Erwin explain that while home is where the heart is, a “tax home” is where a person is expected to live when taking into consideration the individual’s principal place of employment.  See more →