Income Tax Obligations Critical to Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers, in particular those who are here on an H-2A visa, often face complicated income tax issues. LAWO’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic provides vital information to these workers. In October LAWO staff presented income tax information to twenty H-2A workers in Erie County. The tax presentation focused on providing information to these workers about their tax obligations and income tax basics. An LAWO attorney answered such questions as do I have to file a federal income tax return, how do I determine if I meet the substantial presence test, am I eligible to claim dependents to lower my taxes, can I claim the child tax credit, can I claim the earned income tax credit, what should I do if I made a mistake on my tax return, what should I do if I receive a letter from the IRS, do I have to pay social security and Medicare taxes, what should I look for in a tax preparer, what are ITINs and should I get one? These are just some of the frequently asked questions we receive from workers who travel to the U.S. with a visa to harvest fruits and vegetables every year in our state.