2027 tax season · 2026 returns
Best Tax Software for OPT Students 2027
The short answer
An F-1 student on OPT or STEM OPT who is still a nonresident files Form 1040-NR for the 2027 tax season and owes no Social Security or Medicare tax on that pay. F1TaxReturn prepares the 1040-NR free, the state return in 9 states, and a $20 claim for FICA withheld in error; Sprintax suits an OPT worker who wants to e-file. The year OPT turns into an H-1B can be dual-status, which needs a preparer.
We make F1TaxReturn and rank it first only for what it is best at. Every other entry is described from its maker's own pages, linked under Sources with the day we read them. Ranked on:
- It prepares Form 1040-NR for a nonresident with W-2 wages from an OPT job.
- It prepares the state return where you work, and what that costs.
- Whether it prepares the claim for Social Security and Medicare tax withheld in error.
- What it does in the year you change to an H-1B.
The list at a glance
| # | Option | Best for | Federal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F1TaxReturn | An OPT job in one of its states, and FICA taken by mistake | $0 |
| 2 | Sprintax | E-filing, or an OPT job in another state | From $54.95 |
| 3 | TaxAct | E-filing from a mainstream brand | Not published |
| 4 | IRS VITA site | Free help, if a certified site is near | $0 |
| 5 | A CPA or enrolled agent | The year OPT turns into an H-1B | Varies |
The ranking, one by one
- 1
F1TaxReturn (ours)
Best for: An OPT job in one of its states, and FICA taken by mistake$0Federal return, no code or card
The federal return is free and the state return is $30 plus a $2 fee. If your employer withheld Social Security and Medicare tax, it writes the letters asking for it back free, and prepares Forms 843 and 8316 for $20 if the employer will not refund it.
- State returnYes: CA, NY, IL, MA, IN, MI, NC, AZ, NJ: $30 plus a $2 fee, one payment per returnNew for 2026 returns
- E-fileNo: No: a paper return you print, sign and mail
- Form 1042-SYes: Takes it: scholarships, fellowships and treaty-exempt payNew for 2026 returns
Watch out: Paper only: you print, sign and mail. It does not prepare dual-status returns or J-1 scholar returns.
- 2
Sprintax
Best for: E-filing, or an OPT job in another stateFrom $54.95Federal return without a school code
Sprintax says it e-files the federal return for eligible filers, and it prepares state returns more widely. Many universities give a code that makes the federal return free.
- State returnYes: From $49.95 each with its federal return; $59.95 for a state return only
- E-filePartly: Federal only, for eligible filers, it says; state returns are mailed
- Form 1042-SYes: Lists it among the forms to have ready
Watch out: Without a code, federal preparation lists from $54.95, each state from $49.95 and amendments from $79.95. Codes can run out, and state returns are mailed.
- 3
TaxAct
Best for: E-filing from a mainstream brandNot publishedNo Form 1040-NR price on its student page
TaxAct says it prepares and e-files Form 1040-NR with Form 8843 and helps you claim a treaty.
- State returnNot stated: Not stated for nonresidents
- E-fileYes: E-files Form 1040-NR, TaxAct says
- Form 1042-SNot stated: Not stated on its student page
Watch out: Its pages name no Form 1040-NR price and say nothing about Form 1042-S or nonresident state returns.
- 4
IRS VITA site
Best for: Free help, if a certified site is near$0At a site with a foreign student volunteer
A volunteer certified for foreign students prepares the return and a second one checks it, free, and Form 1042-S wages and scholarships are in scope.
- State returnPartly: Depends on the site; ask before you book
- E-filePartly: E-filed, or mailed when it cannot be
- Form 1042-SYes: In scope for wages and scholarships
Watch out: Only sites with a certified volunteer prepare Form 1040-NR, and dual-status returns and FICA refund claims are out of scope.
- 5
A CPA or enrolled agent
Best for: The year OPT turns into an H-1BVariesSet by the preparer
The usual route when no software takes your return: the year you switched to an H-1B, income from several countries, or a business of your own.
- State returnYes: Usually, any state
- E-fileYes: Usually
- Form 1042-SYes: Yes, any income form
Watch out: Fees vary. A paid preparer must sign your return with a PTIN; the IRS warns against one who bases the fee on your refund.
Not for an OPT student who is a nonresident
Why these are not in the ranking.
- TurboTaxIntuit says TurboTax does not support Form 1040-NR; it sends nonresidents to Sprintax.Read the comparison
- FreeTaxUSAFreeTaxUSA says it does not support Form 1040-NR returns.Read the comparison
- H&R Block onlineIts regular online product lists Form 1040-NR among forms it cannot complete.Read the comparison
01Do I file Form 1040-NR on OPT?
Yes, while you are a nonresident alien, which for most F-1 students is their first five calendar years in the US. OPT does not change your tax residency; your days do.
02Do I pay Social Security and Medicare tax on OPT?
Not while you are a nonresident F-1 student: that pay is exempt. If your employer withheld it, ask them to refund it first; F1TaxReturn writes the request free and prepares the IRS claim for $20 if they will not.
03What if I switched from OPT to an H-1B?
The year you become a resident can be a dual-status year, which F1TaxReturn and Sprintax's online software do not prepare. A CPA or enrolled agent who works with nonresidents does.
Sources and how we checked
We make F1TaxReturn, so we compared it with what each company says on its own pages, read on the dates below and linked, and with the IRS's own publications. A company's page is the best source for what it sells; where it does not say, the table says so instead of guessing. Prices change each season: check the company's page before you buy. How we research.
- Sprintax Returns: prices and e-filingSprintax, read October 29, 2026
- Sprintax Returns FAQSprintax, read October 29, 2026
- Nonresident federal tax e-filing: who can e-fileSprintax, read October 29, 2026
- File international student taxesTaxAct, read October 29, 2026
- Does TurboTax handle Form 1040-NR for nonresident aliens?Intuit, read October 29, 2026
- FreeTaxUSA agent answer on nonresident returns (April 3, 2026)FreeTaxUSA, read October 29, 2026
- Tax form availability (forms not available online)H&R Block, read October 29, 2026
- Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for AliensIRS, read October 29, 2026
- Publication 4011 (Rev. 10-2026), Foreign Student and Scholar Volunteer Resource GuideIRS, read October 22, 2026
- Topic 254, How to choose a tax return preparerIRS, read October 29, 2026
Guides that go deeper
More ranked lists
Head to head
Start With the Free One
F1TaxReturn prepares Form 1040-NR and Form 8843 free, with a guide that says what to sign and where to mail it. Free, once the final 2026 forms are published.