Form 1042-S, also "Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding", is used to report any payments made to foreign persons. Non-resident alien employees receive a completed version of this form from their withholding agent if they have one. For example, a postdoctoral student from a foreign country who receives a stipend from an American university would receive Form 1042-S from the university, but if the person is receiving payment in exchange for work done (such as teaching duties), this would be reported on a
Form W-2. It is possible for the same person to receive both forms in a given calendar year if the person's income comes from both types of sources. Note that a separate Form 1042-S must be filed for each type of income paid to the same recipient. If an employer needs to file 250 or more of Form 1042-S, then each Form 1042-S must be filed electronically with the IRS (though paper copies may still be given to the workers). One use of Form 1099 is for reporting gross rent on property. However, for example, if a property manager manages property owned by nonresident aliens, the manager must issue the nonresident alien owner a Form 1042-S, not a Form 1099. A common use of Form 1099-MISC is to report amounts paid by a business to a non-corporate US resident
independent contractor for services. If the independent contractor is a nonresident alien, then the business must instead use Form 1042-S. • The various Form 1099s have reporting thresholds (for instance, Form 1099-MISC needs to be filed only if $600 or more is being paid). However, Form 1042-S needs to be filed for any payment. • There are contexts where no Form 1099 (or any other form) needs to be filed for resident payees, but Form 1042-S needs to be filed for nonresident payees. These include scholarship income, as well as payment for personal services (i.e. payment for services that fall outside a business−contractor arrangement, such as payment for household help).
Comparison with Form W-2 Form W-2 is issued for work done as an employee to all US citizens and residents and is issued to foreign employees who either do not fall under a
tax treaty, or whose earnings exceed allowable maximums of a tax treaty. == Form 1042-T ==