Disclaimer: Washington University is not able to provide specific assistance with filing taxes and provides the following resources for informational purposes. Consult a tax lawyer or other professional for specific questions regarding your unique situation.
Anyone who works in the U.S. is required to file an income tax return including U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Foreign Nationals. Non-immigrant visa holders who are considered tax exempt are also required to file a tax return. In addition, when non-immigrant visa holders complete a project in the U.S. and return home, they are still expected to file a tax return for the calendar year during which they left the U.S.
Generally speaking, those with employee status at WashU (Postdoctoral Research Associates) will have taxes withheld from their paychecks, while those with non-employee status (Postdoctoral Research Scholars) will not.
The most common taxes withheld from a salary are U.S. Federal Income Tax, Missouri State Income Tax, St. Louis City Earnings Tax, and Social Security (FICA) / Medicare tax. For information on U.S. Federal Taxes, please visit the Internal Revenue Service website. For information on Missouri state taxes, please go to the Department of Revenue website.
Estimated Taxes for Postdoctoral Research Scholars
If you are a Postdoctoral Research Scholar, taxes may not be withheld from your paychecks. Please read the information provided by the WashU Tax Office on key tax issues for non-employee stipend recipients.
If taxes are not being withheld for you, you need to file and pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis by the following schedule:
| For the period of: | Taxes due: |
|---|---|
| January 1 thru March 31 | April 15 |
| April 1 thru May 31 | June 15 |
| June 1 thru August 31 | September 15 |
| September 1 thru December 31 | January 15 of the following year |
For more information on how to file estimated taxes, please access the IRS website and search for “Estimated Taxes.”
Tax Resources
The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) provides info on taxes in two documents:
Personal Finance for PhDs is an external service you can hire to learn more about taxes and financial education: