Sticlatest
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Secretariat
                                                                                    27 January 2025
               Information circular*
       To: Staff members who are liable to pay income taxes to United States tax authorities on
           United Nations salaries and emoluments
    From: The Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support
                     Enquiries
                     United Nations
                     Income Tax Unit, Room FF-300
                     304 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017
                     Website: https://tax.un.org
                     Client service is available by making an appointment through Tax-Meet,
                     the Income Tax Unit’s virtual self-service scheduling tool, available at
                     https://tax.un.org/news/tax-meet.
                      For any tax reimbursement-related query, please raise a ticket through the
                      query intake form, available by clicking on “Tax-Ask” in the list of quick
                      links on the website home page.
                      You can also click on the “Contact us” box on the website home page to
                      raise a ticket or book an appointment.
                          • For frequently asked questions, see annex I to the present
                            information circular.
                          • Use the checklist (form F.247) in annex II to verify the completeness
                            of your submission.
               Note
                     The present information circular contains important information about the
               reimbursement of income taxes by the United Nations. Read it carefully and be sure
               that anyone who assists you in the preparation of your tax returns also reads it. You
               will be required to certify the accuracy of statements made in your request for
               reimbursement and to give consent to the Organization to obtain certain verifications
               directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is explained in full in
               paragraphs 6 to 10. Please note in particular paragraph 9 below, which defines your
               responsibility for informing the Organization of any change in your tax liability or
               the filing of amended tax returns for any reason.
                     Tax advice and tax forms. Staff members of the Income Tax Unit are not
               permitted to provide tax advice to staff members or to assist in the preparation of tax
               returns. Staff members who need detailed tax advice and/or tax forms should refer to
               the Unit’s website (https://tax.un.org/), which includes quick links to the Internet sites
               for IRS and state help services.
                      Announcements
                          • A United States income tax briefing session will be conducted on
                            6 February 2025. Time and platform will be announced through a
                            broadcast message.
                          • Self-employment tax. All United States taxpaying staff members who
                            are liable to pay tax on United Nations earnings are encouraged to
                            enrol with the IRS Electronic Federal Tax Payment System for their
                            quarterly share of self-employment (if applicable) and other tax
                            payments to IRS. For 2024, the employee portion of the social security
                            is equal to its previous rate of 6.2 per cent of wages, up to a maximum
                            wage base of $168,600, and the Medicare tax rate remains 1.45 per
                            cent on all wages. The social security tax maximum wage base for
                            2025 will be $176,100.
                          • The Medicare tax rate is 1.45 per cent each for the employee and
                            the employer. There is no wage base limit for the Medicare tax. There
                            will be an additional Medicare tax of 0.9 per cent for employees if
                            wages are or exceed $250,000 for a married individual filing a joint
                            return, $125,000 for a married individual filing a separate return, and
                            $200,000 for all others.
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Contents
                                                                                                                                                                            Page
             I.   Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           5
            II.   United Nations policies on income tax reimbursement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                          5
                  A.     Rationale for reimbursement of taxes levied on United Nations income . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                      5
                  B.     Requirements for applications for reimbursement or for advances to pay estimated taxes. . . .                                                         6
                  C.     Obligation to minimize tax liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                            7
                  D.     Issuance of tax cheques by the United Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                     8
                  E.     Importance of submitting claims on time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                 9
                  F.     Policy regarding interest and penalties imposed by tax authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                9
                  G.     Income tax assistance, enquiries and forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                  9
                  H.     Office to which settlement claims are to be submitted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                         9
           III.   Procedures for reimbursement of federal, state and municipal income taxes for the calendar
                  year 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        10
                  A.     Computation of reimbursement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                          10
                  B.     Statement of taxable earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                       10
                  C.     Social security numbers or individual taxpayer identification numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                 12
                  D.     Issuance of final 2024 tax payment cheques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                13
                  E.     Incomplete or incorrect applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                          13
                  F.     Overpayment of tax advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                         14
                  G.     Timely filing of tax returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                    15
           IV.    Advances for estimated federal, New York, Washington, D.C., Virginia or Maryland and
                  New York City or Yonkers income taxes for the calendar year 2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                 15
            V.    Social security contributions (self-employment taxes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                      17
           VI.    Special provisions and procedures applicable to staff members assigned to a United Nations
                  office outside the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                     18
                  A.     General comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                18
                  B.     Filing deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            18
                  C.     Foreign earned income and housing cost exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                       19
                  D.     Filing procedures for staff members who have qualified for or are likely to qualify for
                         the foreign earned income exclusion for 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                  20
                  E.     Requirements for amended tax returns in some circumstances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                              21
                  F.     Tax advances for staff members on mission or assignment outside the United States . . .                                                             22
                  G.     Special provisions governing social security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                22
          VII.    Special provisions relating to staff members who have already separated from the
                  United Nations or who are expected to separate from the United Nations in 2024 . . . . . . . . . .                                                         22
       Annexes
             I.   Frequently asked questions on income taxes in the United Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                               24
            II.   Tax forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        31
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           I. Introduction
                1.    A staff member who is a United States citizen or a permanent resident (“green
                card” holder) who has signed the “Waiver of rights, privileges, exemptions and
                immunities” (the waiver) is subject to income taxation by the United States of
                America on his or her earnings from the United Nations (see ST/AI/1998/1).
                According to the United States Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, the waiver
                should be signed within 10 days of receiving notification of admission for permanent
                residence or joining the Organization. Staff members must obtain approval from their
                human resources office in writing before signing the waiver. The main criterion of
                determination by the United Nations of entitlement to reimbursement of income taxes
                is the staff member’s nationality and/or resident status registered with the United
                Nations, regardless of the staff member’s official nationality. It is the staff member’s
                personal responsibility to ascertain and meet his or her legal obligations, if any,
                arising under United States federal, state and municipal income tax laws.
                2.    A staff member who is liable for such taxes for 2024 and/or 2025 and who
                wishes to claim reimbursement from the United Nations may apply for reimbursement
                of such taxes in accordance with the procedures set out in the present information
                circular.
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               Nations exceed the final income taxes actually paid and payable in respect of a staff
               member’s United Nations income.
               6.   Staff members must submit to the Income Tax Unit, through the UN Income
               Tax Portal (https://taxportal.un.org; preferred and faster method) as a PDF
               upload or the dedicated email address (2024taxclaimsonly@un.org; not
               preferred and process will be delayed):
                    (a)    For reimbursement of 2024 federal, state or municipal taxes:
                    (i) A request for settlement of income taxes (United Nations form F.65 plus
                    form F.65/A, if applicable);
                    (ii) Consent for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to disclose certain tax
                    return information to the United Nations IRS form 4506-C. Note that an
                    electronic signature is not accepted on form 4506-C. A pre-populated form is
                    also available on the Income Tax Unit website;
                    (iii) True, complete and signed copies of the relevant income tax returns and
                    supporting information for the tax year for which reimbursement is requested,
                    including a copy of the statement of taxable earnings;
                    (iv) For states other than New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and
                    Virginia and for Washington, D.C., or for municipal authorities other than New
                    York City or Yonkers, the tax rates and relevant instructions issued by the tax
                    authority must be attached to the application;
                    (b) For advances to pay 2025 estimated taxes: a request for 2025 income tax
               advances (United Nations form F.65 plus form F.65/A, if applicable).
               7.     All applicable spaces on forms F.65 and F.65/A and IRS form 4506 -C must be
               filled in completely. The Income Tax Unit relies on information such as home address,
               email address, office location and telephone extension to facilitate communication
               with staff members. Information regarding form F.65 can be found at the back of the
               form that is included in the present information circular. Every United States
               taxpaying staff member is required to read it carefully for successful completion of
               the form. Instructions are also included at the beginning of forms F.65 and F.65/A and
               IRS form 4506-C.
               Form F.65
               8.    By submitting form F.65, staff members authorize the United Nations to make
               federal and state tax advance deposits on their behalf. In signing form F.65, staff
               members certify and undertake very specific obligations listed on the form as a
               condition of receiving reimbursements or advances. Failure to adhere to these
               obligations may result in: (a) suspension of issuance of further tax reimbursements;
               (b) recovery of amounts already advanced and/or paid; and (c) possible disciplinary
               action.
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                repay to the United Nations the entire amount of any tax reimbursements and
                advances for all the tax years to which the revocation applies. If repayment of any tax
                reimbursements and advances is not made promptly, these amounts may be deducted,
                pursuant to staff rule 3.18, from future payments by the Organization of salaries and
                other emoluments, including separation entitlements, and disciplinary action may also
                be taken as appropriate. Normally, the completion of one form 4506 -C at the time of
                application for reimbursement will be sufficient for the entire year; however, staff
                members may be required to complete and sign another form 4506-C at any time
                during the year if the original form 4506-C is not deemed acceptable by IRS.
                12. In order to minimize the burden on the Tax Equalization Fund, of which the
                Secretary-General is the trustee, and on voluntary funds from which tax
                reimbursements may be made, a staff member claiming reimbursement is required to
                make maximum use of all adjustments to income, deductions and exemptions in order
                to minimize his or her tax liability. In claiming a reimbursement from the United
                Nations in form F.65, a staff member, among other things, certifies and agrees that he
                or she will minimize his or her taxes.
                13. For married staff members, the filing of joint tax returns in most cases results
                in a lower tax liability both for the staff member and for the United Nations. Married
                staff members who are both United States taxpayers must use “married filing jointly”
                status when filing their income tax returns. In addition, staff members who receive
                dependency benefits from the United Nations for their spouse must also file jointly.
                If (a) tax return(s) with filing status other than “married filing jointly” is/are
                submitted by a staff member in receipt of dependency benefits for a spouse, the final
                reimbursement of income taxes will be calculated using the greater of the standard
                “married filing jointly” deduction for the tax year in question or the actual amount of
                the itemized deduction claimed. The “married filing jointly” tax rate will be used to
                calculate the taxes due. The filing of joint federal returns by citizens and resident
                aliens with spouses who are non-resident aliens but have tax identification numbers
                is permitted. New York state income tax laws require that taxpayers who file joint
                federal returns must, with very few exceptions, file joint New York state returns.
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               14. Staff members are required to claim itemized deductions if these would exceed
               the standard deductions allowable. Staff members should refer to the specific
               instructions issued by the tax authorities for items of deductions allowed. If a staff
               member does not claim itemized deductions and it is determined by the United
               Nations that itemizing deductions would result in a lower tax, the tax returns will be
               rejected as incomplete, and he or she will be required to resubmit the corrected
               returns with an itemized deduction schedule.
               15. For those not enrolled in the IRS Electronic Federal Tax Payment System
               (EFTPS), cheques will be issued as the final settlement or as advances for federal or
               state or municipal income tax liabilities attributable to United Nations earnings and
               the cheques are made payable to the income tax authority. The staff member must
               forward any such cheques immediately to the appropriate tax authority. Cheques
               payable to a tax authority must never, under any circumstances, be deposited into a
               personal account.
               16. Failure to forward cheques made payable to the tax authorities promptly
               to the appropriate tax authorities may result in the suspension of the issuance of
               future tax payments. Depositing a cheque made payable to a tax authority into a
               personal account may result in the suspension of the issuance of future tax
               payments, recovery of amounts already advanced and/or paid and possible
               disciplinary action.
               17. An exception to the United Nations procedure of issuing cheques payable to the
               tax authorities will be made only if the staff member provides proof that full payment
               of income tax settlements (except for the estimated tax advances for the current year)
               has already been made at the time the claim is submitted. Proof of payment means
               copies of both sides of cancelled cheques made payable to the tax authorities,
               electronic payment receipts or transcripts of taxpayer accounts. Any claims for
               reimbursement of income taxes that request a cheque made payable to the staff
               member but do not provide acceptable proof of payment will not be honoured.
               Cheque(s) will be distributed by the United States Postal Service by the Cashier’s
               Office to the address on United Nations form F.65. United Nations staff members who
               have access to Umoja employee self-service must update their mailing address in
               Umoja or create an address for tax purposes. Addresses of all other staff (e.g. staff of
               the United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, etc., and
               separated United Nations staff) will be updated in Umoja by the Income Tax Unit.
               18. The tax authorities require each taxpayer to enter his or her social security
               number on each cheque so that the tax authority can credit the cheque to the correct
               account. Staff members should verify that the social security number printed on the
               face of each tax cheque is correct. Married staff members should always write their
               own social security number on any cheque issued by the United Nations and not the
               social security number of their spouse. Staff members are urged to keep a record of
               the number of each tax cheque received from the United Nations.
               19. Tax cheques are, in general, issued approximately two weeks before the
               estimated tax payment and annual tax filing due dates. Staff members who expect to
               be on official travel or leave on the date that tax cheques are expected to be issued
               should make prior arrangements so that they can receive and send their cheques to the
               appropriate tax authorities before the due date. It is not possible for the Income Tax
               Unit to accommodate requests for early issuance of cheques.
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                21. As the responsibility for filing complete, correct and timely tax returns and
                estimated tax payments with any amounts due is that of the individual taxpayer, the
                United Nations will not reimburse staff members for interest or penalties imposed by
                tax authorities on their United Nations earnings. There are three exceptions to this
                rule. The United Nations may reimburse late-payment and/or underpayment interest
                and penalty charges that arise from: (a) delays or incorrect written instructions or
                incorrect earnings data that are acknowledged by the United Nations as being the
                responsibility of the Organization; (b) extensions for staff members serving the
                United Nations outside the United States; or (c) underpayment of tax advances by the
                United Nations under the provisions of paragraph 52 (c), (d) and (e) below. The
                United Nations will not pay any late filing penalties under any circumstances.
                22. Neither the United Nations nor the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund can
                provide advice or assistance to staff members on tax matters, other than in relation to
                the treatment of taxable United Nations earnings included in the statement of taxable
                earnings, or communicate directly with tax authorities on a staff member’s behalf.
                Under the provisions of staff regulation 1.2, staff members are not permitted to
                provide assistance in income tax matters to other staff members for
                remuneration without the prior approval of the Secretary-General.
                23. Should advice be needed on aspects of income tax returns not related to the
                United Nations, staff members should consult the appropriate income tax authorities
                or tax preparation services. Staff members may wish to obtain a free copy of
                publication 17, entitled Your Federal Income Tax: for Individuals, which is issued
                annually by IRS. Specific contact information on all general tax matters may be
                obtained by visiting the website at https://tax.un.org.
                24. Most forms required for the filing of federal and state returns are available on
                specialized government Internet sites. All tax forms can be obtained directly from the
                appropriate tax authorities. Information about obtaining tax forms can be found by
                visiting the Income Tax Unit website.
                25. All staff members requesting reimbursement of income taxes for the tax year
                applicable for the present information circular should submit completed applications
                as a PDF upload to the UN Income Tax Portal at https://taxportal.un.org (preferred
                and faster method) or to the Income Tax Unit using the dedicated email address
                2024taxclaimsonly@un.org and keep copies of the tax returns and related documents
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               for their records. The Unit does not keep copies of staff members’ tax returns for more
               than 10 years after their relevant due dates for filing with the tax authorities. There
               is limited in-person client service. Virtual one-on-one client services are available
               through TaxMeet; a link for logging in is available on the Unit’s website. Enquiries
               may also be made by raising a ticket through the website by clicking on the “Contact
               Us” box or by clicking on the “Tax-Ask” link and filling out a query intake form.
               26. The method of computing the federal, state and municipal taxes payable on
               United Nations earnings and, thus, the amount that the United Nations will reimburse
               to a staff member is as follows. The tax attributable to the United Nations salary and
               emoluments is considered to be the difference between: (a) the total tax payable for
               the year as shown in the copies of the tax return submitted by the staff member, with
               the United Nations income (as shown on the statement of taxable earnings) included;
               and (b) the tax that would be payable if United Nations income were excluded from
               total income. The taxable amount of pension withdrawal settlement shown on the
               statement of taxable earnings for staff members who joined the Organization after
               31 December 1979 will be treated as non-United Nations income in accordance with
               General Assembly resolution 34/165 of 17 December 1979 (see para. 93 below).
               27. Both calculations (a) and (b) in paragraph 26 above use the actual income, loss,
               adjustments to income, total deductions and exemptions claimed by the staff member
               on his or her tax return(s) to arrive at the taxable income. The adjustment to income
               for the United Nations reimbursement portion of the self-employment tax (see
               para. 60 below) is considered to be an adjustment to United Nations income to the
               extent that this self-employment tax is attributable to United Nations income.
               Additional deductions may also reduce the United Nations income used in the
               calculation noted in paragraph 26 above. Effective from 2012, staff members are not
               required to use foreign tax credit to offset their tax liability attributable to United
               Nations income on their federal tax returns. However, if staff members claim the
               foreign tax credit and any other tax credits available on the actual tax returns with
               United Nations income, such as education credits, child tax credit, child and
               dependent care credit, elderly and disabled credit, New York City school tax credit
               and various state and city tax credits, all credits will be applied to reduce the total
               income tax liability without the United Nations income which do not affect the
               calculations noted in paragraph 26 above. In this regard, if a staff member claims a
               foreign tax credit to offset tax on United Nations income, he/she shall not be eligible
               to receive reimbursement against the foreign tax credit applied to reduce the income
               tax on United Nations income. Additional Medicare tax and net investment income
               tax are employees’ responsibility and are not reimbursed by the United Nations.
               28. A staff member who is subject to United States taxes will receive a detailed
               statement of his or her United Nations taxable earnings for 2024 through his or her
               email address on record in the tax system. The statement will be issued by 31 January
               2025.
               29. A staff member who is required to file a United States federal income tax return
               and who was on the payroll at any time in 2024 by the Economic Commission for
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           Africa, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the
           Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Economic and Social
           Commission for Western Asia, the United Nations Office at Nairobi, the United
           Nations Office at Geneva, the United Nations Office at Vienna, the Office of the
           United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Relief and
           Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations
           Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health
           Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Organisation for the
           Prohibition of Chemical Weapons or the International Tribunals and International
           Court of Justice in The Hague will also receive a statement of his or h er United
           Nations taxable earnings directly from the Income Tax Unit through his or her email
           address and may obtain a copy from the finance office at that location. Staff members
           who were on the payrolls of more than one office during 2024 should receive a
           separate statement of taxable earnings from each office. Their total United Nations
           taxable income is the sum total from all such statements.
           30. Staff members should note that at the bottom of the statement of taxable
           earnings there is a paragraph explaining that, since remuneration from an
           international organization is not subject to withholding, the United Nations is exempt
           from issuing a wage and tax statement (IRS form W-2) per se. While it is not a
           requirement of IRS or state/local tax authorities, staff members may wish to attach a
           copy of the United Nations statement of taxable earnings to the income tax returns
           that they file with the appropriate tax authorities. A copy of the statement(s) of taxable
           earnings must be attached to the copy of the returns included with the request for the
           reimbursement of taxes.
           31. The following types of payments made by the United Nations to staff members
           during the calendar year 2024 are included in the statement of taxable earnings for
           2024:
                (a)   Gross salary (before the deduction of staff assessment);
                (b)   Overtime, compensatory time and night differential;
                (c)   Post adjustment;
                (d)   Dependency allowance;
                (e)   Language allowance;
                (f)   Mobility and hardship allowance (including hazard pay and/or non-family
                      hardship element and/or danger pay, where applicable);
                (g)   Representation allowance;
                (h)   Education grant;
                (i)   Assignment grant;
                (j)   Travel on appointment and/or separation;
                (k)   Removal of personal household effects and goods;
                (l)   Home leave travel;
                (m) Rental subsidy;
                (n)   Termination indemnity and compensation in lieu of notice;
                (o)   Commutation of accrued annual leave paid at separation;
                (p)   Family visit travel;
                (q)   Repatriation grant;
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               35. IRS, in connection with the operation of its automatic data -processing program,
               requires that taxpayers indicate their social security number or individual taxpayer
               identification number on their tax returns for use as a taxpayer account number. Under
               the Internal Revenue Code, a penalty may be imposed for failure to supply an account
               or identification number, unless the taxpayer can show that the failure was attributable
               to reasonable causes. Note that once a taxpayer is issued a social security number, he
               or she should not use an individual taxpayer identification number when filing the tax
               return.
               36. Staff members who are liable to pay United States federal income tax should
               obtain a social security number or individual taxpayer identification number, even if
               they are not United States citizens or if their United Nations earnings are not
               otherwise subject to social security coverage. Staff members should file form SS -5
               for a social security number or form W-7 for an individual taxpayer identification
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                number. If a number has been applied for but not received by the due date for filing,
                the staff member should ask for an extension of time to file. A missing or incorrect
                social security number or individual taxpayer identification number may result in the
                tax authority applying stringent penalties. Therefore, staff members are urged to apply
                for and to provide IRS with their social security number or individual taxpayer
                identification number.
                37. Final tax reimbursement payments will be issued before the 15 April 2025
                deadline to all staff members who submit complete claims for reimbursement of 2024
                income taxes by the deadline of 3 March 2025. The lead time provided by the
                submission deadlines provides the Income Tax Unit the time required to process and
                pay all timely filed claims for the reimbursement of income taxes in advance of filing
                deadlines. Staff members who submit their claims for reimbursement of 2024 income
                taxes after the United Nations submission deadlines are not assured that their claims
                will be reimbursed by their applicable income tax filing deadlines. Similarly, a staff
                member serving outside the United States who submits a complete and processable
                (see paras. 6 and 7 above) claim for reimbursement of 2024 income taxes on or before
                1 April 2025 may expect the claim to be reimbursed on or before the 16 June 2025
                overseas filing deadline with the two-month automatic extension.
                38. Staff members whose advances to pay estimated taxes for 2024 were less than
                their entitlement to tax reimbursement for 2024 will receive electronic payment
                directly to IRS and/or to the staff member’s bank account or either one or two tax
                cheques for each return. When two tax cheques are received for a specific tax return,
                one of the cheques will be a cheque made payable to the tax authority and the other
                cheque will be made payable to the staff member.
                39. All staff members who received advances to pay estimated taxes for the tax year
                2024 must submit a copy of their final tax returns for 2024, together with form F.65
                (request for income tax settlement and advances), form F.65/A (if applicable) and IRS
                form 4506-C, to the Income Tax Unit. If a staff member does not submit these by
                15 October 2025, any tax advance payments that have been made to him or her may
                be recovered from his or her salary starting the following month.
                40. All forms must be fully completed, signed and dated, and requests for
                reimbursement of income taxes must include (a) complete, correct and signed
                copy/copies of the income tax return(s), or they will not be processed and will be
                returned to the staff member with a notice of rejection and/or correction. The
                Organization will not accept responsibility for delays in processing any incomplete
                application for the reimbursement of income taxes.
                41. In recent years, the use of computerized tax preparation packages has become
                widespread. Some of these packages include the electronic filing of tax returns with
                the tax authorities. The paper copies of tax returns generated from computer software
                can be accepted by the Income Tax Unit as the required copy of a staff member’s
                return only if there is a fully printed description for each line number of the tax return
                comparable to the line descriptions on federal and state returns. Computerized tax
                return forms that contain only line numbers and amounts are not acceptable. Federal
                income tax returns must be prepared using IRS form 1040, and New York State
                resident returns must be prepared using New York State Department of Taxation and
                Finance form IT-201.
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               42. If the Income Tax Unit determines, in the course of processing a request for
               reimbursement, that a minor error has been made in a staff member’s tax return(s), it
               will issue to the staff member a written notice of rejection and/or correction to be
               made to the tax return(s). Staff members should not, however, rely on the Unit to
               detect errors. They remain fully responsible for filing correct returns with the tax
               authorities.
               43. Staff members who receive notices of correction are required to certify that they
               have made the necessary changes to their tax returns and have submitted the corrected
               returns to the tax authorities. They must return the notice of correction to the Incom e
               Tax Unit along with a copy of the corrected return(s), which they certify have been
               sent to the tax authorities. The United Nations will not be responsible for any delays
               in the issuance of tax reimbursements because of the requirement for returning th e
               notice of correction with a copy of the corrected return(s) to the Unit.
               44. In instances in which staff members have already filed their returns with the tax
               authorities before the receipt of a notice of correction from the Income Tax Unit, they
               must submit appropriate amended returns to the tax authorities and submit a copy of
               the amended return(s) to the Unit.
               45. If a staff member has received advances to pay estimated taxes for 2024 from
               the United Nations that exceed his or her entitlement to reimbursement for the United
               Nations share of the total tax liability for 2024, the amount of excess reimbursement
               for 2024 will normally be considered by the United Nations to be estimated tax
               payments for 2025. The total amount of new advance payments made for 2025
               estimated taxes will be reduced accordingly. Such excess amounts are indicated on
               the transmittal statement accompanying 2024 reimbursement cheques and/or 2025
               advance deposits. Any such excess payments for 2024 will be deducted from the first -
               quarter tax advance deposit for 2025 and, if necessary, from subsequent quarterly tax
               advance deposits.
               46. In such cases, staff members should be aware that they may incur penalties and
               interest if the total amount of estimated tax payments for 2025 is significantly less
               than the total tax liability as a result of the reduction in the 2025 advance deposits
               made by the United Nations. Staff members will need to designate on their 2024 tax
               returns a portion of any 2024 overpayment(s) as an estimated payment for 2025 and/or
               make additional estimated tax payments for 2025 directly. Staff members paying self -
               employment taxes on United Nations earnings should pay specific attention to the
               effect of any United Nations overpayment of 2024 federal estimated taxes on
               payments credited to their 2025 federal taxpayer account.
               47. In some instances, United Nations advances received to pay estimated taxes for
               2024 may have greatly exceeded the staff member’s total taxes due, and the staff
               member is eligible for an unusually large refund from the tax authority. Overpayments
               of 2024 estimated taxes equal to or more than the amount of the 2024 income taxes
               due on United Nations earnings are considered to be unusually large refunds. In these
               instances, most or all of the potential refund is due to and payable to the United
               Nations, and this excess payment for 2024 by the United Nations cannot be recovered
               in a reasonable time by the normal method of reducing the staff member’s 2025 tax
               advances. In such circumstances, active staff members and in all circumstances
               separated staff members must request a full refund on their 2024 tax return. When
               the refund is received, staff members are to deposit the refund cheque into their bank
               account. They should also confirm the outstanding tax receivable with the Income
               Tax Unit and make a payment either by personal cheque or electronically to the United
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                Nations. Any such unusually large refunds from a tax authority, which are attributable
                to a significant overpayment of tax advances by the United Nations, and which are
                not returned to the Unit within 90 days of the required filing date of the tax return,
                will be subject to immediate recovery from salary or final separation payments. A
                staff member who is uncertain whether a large refund from a tax authority must be
                treated in this fashion should consult with the Unit.
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               52. The United Nations assists staff members in meeting their estimated tax
               obligations on United Nations income by issuing quarterly tax advances to staff
               members on request and under the conditions prescribed below:
                     (a) A request for the issuance of advances to pay 2025 estimated income taxes
               is made by completing the appropriate section of form F.65, normally completed at
               the same time as the request for the 2024 final tax reimbursements;
                    (b) No advances will be issued to pay 2025 estimated income taxes to any staff
               member who has received advances to pay 2024 estimated income taxes but whose
               2024 tax reimbursement has not been settled;
                      (c) No advances will be issued to staff members who are working under an
               initial appointment contract with the United Nations of less than six months’ duration
               or under a WAE (when actually employed) contract. The United Nations will be
               prepared to reimburse any penalty incurred by staff members related to underpayment
               of estimated taxes on such United Nations income;
                     (d) Staff members who have separated from the United Nations will receive
               no additional advances. In some instances, retiring staff members who joined the
               Organization before 1 January 1980 will receive taxable lump -sum pension payments
               or other taxable distributions that will require additional estimated payments to be
               made to tax authorities. The United Nations will not issue tax advances for these
               distributions, but will be prepared to reimburse any penalty incurred by the staff
               members relating to the reimbursable portion of the United Nations payments;
                     (e) Advances may be reduced or eliminated for staff members on mission or
               assignment outside the United States who are deemed to qualify for the foreign earned
               income exclusion by the Income Tax Unit, as discussed in paragraphs 70 to 76 below.
               The United Nations will reimburse any resulting penalty incurred by the staff
               members relating to the underpayment of estimated taxes on United Nations income
               that resulted from such reduction or elimination of tax advances by the United
               Nations;
                     (f) The amounts of the estimated tax advances issued by the United Nations
               will be determined by the Income Tax Unit. They will normally be based either on
               earnings received from the United Nations in 2025 or on the amount of taxes paid on
               United Nations income for the full year 2024 plus the United Nations portion of the
               social security (self-employment) taxes expected to be paid for 2025, if any;
                    (g) All tax advances issued for 2025 will be applied against the amount
               calculated as reimbursable by the United Nations for the year 2025.
               53. Estimated taxes are payable to the tax authorities in four quarterly instalments,
               due on 15 April 2025, 16 June 2025, 15 September 2025 and 15 January 2026.
               Advances for the first quarterly instalment of the 2025 taxes will be issued before the
               15 April 2025 due date, and those for subsequent quarterly payments will be issued
               before the above-mentioned due dates.
               54. Federal and New York state tax advances are deposited directly with IRS and
               New York State for credit to the staff member’s individual accounts as estimated tax
               payments. In exceptional cases, where electronic payments are not possible, tax
               advance cheques payable to the tax authorities may be issued.
               55. Any advances for Washington, D.C., Virginia or Maryland state/city estimated
               taxes will be made electronically or by cheques made payable to the staff member.
               The staff member should deposit the cheque into his or her personal account and issue
               a cheque to pay for the estimated tax. The United Nations does not issue advances for
               estimated taxes for states other than New York, Virginia and Maryland or for
               Washington, D.C., but will reimburse any penalties and related interest that may be
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               employment tax in respect of the year 2024 will be due on or before 15 April 2025,
               together with the federal income tax return.
               63. Staff members are required to complete form F.65 and attach a completed copy
               of IRS schedule SE with the submitted tax return to apply for reimbursement of the
               United Nations portion of social security contributions (self -employment tax) owed.
               The amount due from the United Nations in respect of social security contributions
               (self-employment tax) is automatically included in the quarterly advances issued by
               the United Nations for payment of estimated United States federal income tax. The
               amount of self-employment tax included in the quarterly advances will be specifically
               indicated on the transmittal statement.
               64. Quarterly payments by staff members for their own share of self -employment
               taxes can be made electronically by enrolling with EFTPS at www.eftps.gov.
               Alternatively, cheques can be mailed directly to IRS using payment vouchers (IRS
               form 1040-ES).
               65. Normally, advances of estimated taxes for the current tax year, including the
               United Nations share of social security contributions, are based on the amount of the
               final reimbursement paid for the immediately preceding tax year. United States
               citizens who joined the United Nations during the immediately preceding tax year or
               served outside the United States must inform the Income Tax Unit, so that any
               adjustments to the Organization’s share of social security contributions can be made
               in respect of the current tax year.
               66. The United States tax regulations for taxpayers who are or have been outside
               the United States recently for long periods of time are complicated; United Nations
               tax reimbursement procedures always reflect that complexity. Staff members, in
               particular those currently stationed outside the United States, with questions about
               these procedures should not hesitate to seek assistance from their professional tax
               preparers and, if necessary, from the Income Tax Unit (see front page of the present
               information circular for contact information).
               67. Staff members who are stationed outside the United States on or after 1 February
               2025 are expected to meet the deadlines and requirements discussed in the following
               paragraphs. To the maximum extent possible, the deadlines and other requirements
               have been designed to allow such staff members additional time to comply with them.
               Staff members who are unable for any reason to comply with the filing deadlines or
               other requirements should file extension requests with the relevant tax authorities and
               must notify the Income Tax Unit promptly and provide a written explanation of the
               circumstances.
B. Filing deadlines
               68. In the case of United States citizens or residents who, on 15 April 2025, are
               living outside the United States and whose duty station is outside the United States,
               IRS grants an automatic two-month extension to 16 June 2025 for the filing of income
               tax returns for 2024. This extension of time to file is granted automatically, but a
               written statement certifying that the staff member is outside the United States must
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                be attached to the return. Interest and late-payment penalties will be charged on any
                tax payments owed and received after 15 April 2025. Please note that state tax
                authorities do not normally grant an automatic extension of time to file for overseas
                taxpayers. Staff members applying for an extension to file 2024 federal income tax
                returns must apply separately for extensions to file any required state returns.
                69. The United Nations takes this automatic filing extension into consideration by
                granting those staff members serving outside the United States on or after 1 February
                2025 an additional month to submit their request for settlement. These staff members
                should submit a claim for tax reimbursement as soon as possible, but not later than
                1 April 2025. The United Nations will pay any late-payment and/or underpayment
                interest and penalties that may have accrued as a result of this extension either to the
                date of payment of any unpaid taxes on United Nations income or to 16 June 2025,
                whichever is earlier. The United Nations will not pay any late-filing penalties under
                any circumstances.
                70. In some circumstances, the federal Government and many states allow some or
                all income earned outside the United States to be excluded from total income before
                it is taxed. To be eligible, a staff member must first meet the tax home test. Then, the
                staff member must meet either the physical presence test or the bona fide residence
                test as noted below. If qualified, the staff member must elect to exclude in one or
                more taxable years foreign earned income attributable to the period of residence
                outside the United States, as follows:
                      (a) To qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion under the physical
                presence test, a staff member must be physically outside the United States for at least
                330 full days during any period of 365 consecutive days. A full day is defined as the
                24-hour period that starts at midnight. The 330 full days may be interrupted by periods
                in the United States;
                      (b) In order to qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion under the bona
                fide residence test, the staff member must be either a United States citizen or a United
                States resident alien who is a national of a country with which the United States has
                an income tax treaty in effect, and be a bona fide resident of a foreign country, or
                countries, for an uninterrupted period that includes a complete tax year, 1 January
                through 31 December. The determination of whether a staff member is a bona fide
                resident of a foreign country involves his or her intention with regard to the length
                and nature of the stay. In general, if a staff member goes to a foreign country for a
                definite, temporary purpose and returns to the United States after it has been
                accomplished, he or she is not a bona fide resident of that country. If accomplishing
                the purpose requires an extended, indefinite stay, and a staff member makes his or her
                home in the foreign country, he or she may qualify as a bona fide resident.
                71. Most staff members on mission who qualify for the foreign earned income
                exclusion do so under the physical presence test because they have been on
                assignment for the United Nations outside the United States for 330 days during any
                consecutive 365-day period. Some staff members who have not yet been outside the
                United States long enough by early 2025 to qualify for the exclu sion are likely to
                qualify later in 2025 when their assignment has carried on for a year or so. The
                specific 365-day consecutive period during which a staff member is outside the
                United States for at least 330 full days is the qualifying period for the foreign earned
                income exclusion. Very often, the qualifying period will cut across two calendar
                years and will therefore affect the staff member’s tax returns for both years.
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               72. Staff members who have completed a period of stay of more than 330 days
               outside the United States or who are likely to do so by the end of 2025 should contact
               their tax preparers and, if necessary, the Income Tax Unit to find out whether they
               qualify or will qualify to claim the foreign earned income exclusion. Staff members
               who have been on mission or assignment outside the United States during 2023, 2024
               or 2025 must complete form F.65/A as a supplement to form F.65, in order to help the
               Income Tax Unit to determine whether the staff members have qualified or are likely
               to qualify for the exclusion. It is suggested that staff members consult IRS publication
               54, which deals with foreign earned income exclusion in great detail.
               73. The maximum amount of foreign income that can be excluded is $126,500 per
               person for the tax year 2024. In most cases, the amount of the maximum foreign
               earned income exclusion for a particular tax year is reduced in proportion to the
               number of days in a staff member’s qualifying period that fall outside that tax year.
               74. Some staff members who qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion will
               also qualify for excluding and/or deducting an additional amount on the basis of
               foreign housing costs. Staff members who are eligible (see IRS form 2555 instructions
               for further details) must take the full housing cost exclusions and/or deductions
               permissible. These housing expenses include rent, utilities (other than telephone
               charges), real and personal property insurance, non-refundable fees paid to obtain a
               lease, rental of furniture and accessories, residential parking and household repairs.
               See IRS publication 54 for more details.
               75. If a staff member qualifies for federal income tax purposes for the foreign earned
               income exclusion for United Nations income earned outside the United States, such
               income can and must also be excluded from New York State, Connecticut, New York
               City and Yonkers income, if applicable. There is no foreign earned income exclusion
               allowed, however, as a reduction to New Jersey or Pennsylvania income.
               76. In calculating a staff member’s tax reimbursement with respect to United
               Nations income, any foreign earned income exclusion available and any housing costs
               exclusion will be applied against the staff member’s United Nations earnings to the
               extent that these deductions resulted from the period of his or her service with the
               Organization.
         D.    Filing procedures for staff members who have qualified for or are
               likely to qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion for 2024
               77. Staff members who, by 15 April 2025, already qualify for the foreign earned
               income exclusion for all or part of 2024 because the end of their qualifying period
               has already been reached must claim the exclusion for 2024 by completing IRS form
               2555, “Foreign Earned Income”, and including it with their completed federal tax
               return. All federal tax returns that include IRS form 2555 (including amended returns)
               must be sent to the Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, Texas, 73301 -0215, no
               matter which IRS filing centre is normally used.
               78. Staff members on mission or assignment outside the United States since 2024
               who have not yet qualified for the foreign earned income exclusion but who anticipate
               that it is likely that they will be outside the United States for 330 days during a
               qualifying period that will end between 15 April and 30 September 2025 must take
               advantage of the IRS provision that allows them to postpone filing their 2024 tax
               returns until such time as they expect to qualify for the foreign earned income
               exclusion for some portion of 2024
               79. Staff members postponing their tax filing for 2024 for the above -mentioned
               reason who anticipate that they will not qualify for the foreign earned income
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                exclusion by 16 June 2025 (the extended filing date automatically granted by IRS to
                taxpayers physically outside the United States on 15 April 2025) should file IRS form
                2350, “Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income
                Tax Return”. This form should be sent to the Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin,
                Texas, 73301-0045, no later than 15 April 2025. Staff members must also notify the
                Income Tax Unit that they have postponed filing with IRS and, accordingly, will not
                be able to meet the Unit’s 1 April 2025 deadline for the submission of settlement
                claims for 2024 and will therefore be exempt from the provisions of paragraph 39
                above.
                80. Staff members who qualified for the foreign earned income exclusion for 2024
                may, in some cases, have received tax advances for 2024 substantially in excess of
                the United Nations share of their total tax liabilities. Staff members in this situation
                should refer to paragraphs 45 to 47 above on overpayment of tax advances.
                81. Staff members on mission or assignment outside the United States in 2024 who
                have not yet qualified for the foreign earned income exclusion for 2024 and who do
                not expect to qualify by 30 September 2025 must submit their settlement claim for
                2024 to the Income Tax Unit by the regular deadline of 1 April 2025 and file their
                2024 returns on time with the tax authorities. Should they subsequently qualify for
                the foreign earned income exclusion with a qualifying period that includes any
                portion of 2024, an amended return or returns for 2024 must be filed with the tax
                authorities within 90 days of the end of the qualifying period.
                82. Similarly, staff members who were on a mission or an assignment outside the
                United States that qualified them for the foreign earned income exclusion with a
                qualifying period that included part or all of 2024 or any prior tax year and who
                have not already claimed the exclusion on that year’s income tax return(s) must file
                an amended return or returns with the applicable tax authorities within 90 days of
                the end of the qualifying period.
                83. A copy of any amended return(s) to claim the foreign earned income exclusion
                must be submitted to the Income Tax Unit at the time of the filing with the tax
                authorities. Given that the foreign earned income exclusion on returns amended for
                this reason relates to United Nations income for which the United Nations has already
                provided tax reimbursement, most or all of the refund received will be due to the
                United Nations. Upon receipt of the refund cheque, staff members must, within 30
                days, bring or send it to the Unit for settlement of the balance due to the United
                Nations.
                84. If the Income Tax Unit determines that a staff member has qualified for the
                foreign earned income exclusion for a past year that would require the staff member
                to file an amended return or returns for that year, a notification will be sent to the staff
                member informing him or her of the need to file the amended return(s). If, after 90
                days following the date of the notification, the staff member has not submitted a copy
                of the properly amended return(s) as filed with the tax authorities, the amount of t ax
                reimbursement made by the United Nations for that year may be recovered from the
                staff member’s salary starting the following month.
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               85. Tax advances for 2025 for staff members who have qualified or are likely to
               qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion in 2025 will be issued solely on the
               basis of any estimated United Nations income in excess of the exclusion amount
               projected by the Income Tax Unit. If for any reason the staff member does not later
               qualify for the exclusion, the United Nations will, in addition to reimb ursing the tax
               actually due, pay any penalties due as a result of the underpayment of the United
               Nations share of estimated taxes due.
               86. Staff members who are newly assigned in 2025 to missions or offices outside
               the United States for a period of six months or longer must notify the Income Tax
               Unit of their assignment prior to their departure. No further tax advances will be
               issued to staff members who begin an assignment of six months or longer outside the
               United States prior to 15 August 2025 if the advances paid already exceeded the
               updated estimated tax liability. Staff members who return from assignment outside
               the United States in 2024 or 2025 should notify the Unit in order to determine if the
               issuance of quarterly estimated tax payments needs to be reinstated or the amount
               increased.
               87. United States citizens serving abroad (whether or not they qualify for the foreign
               earned income exclusion) do not have social security coverage and, in general, pay
               no self-employment taxes. To the extent that they spend time on official duty in the
               United States, however, their earnings for each such period are subject to the self -
               employment tax, which will be reimbursed in part by the United Nations in
               accordance with paragraphs 58 to 65 above.
               88. The earnings subject to a self-employment tax for each such period should be
               calculated by multiplying the number of working days spent in the United States
               (including the days of arrival and departure) by the daily rate of remuneration
               (calculated as a fraction of the then prevailing monthly rate), consisting of gross base
               salary, post adjustment and any salary allowances paid during the applicable period.
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Annex I
               Frequently asked questions on income taxes in the
               United Nations
                     The answers to the following most frequently asked questions are explained in
               detail in sections I to VII of the present information circular. Please note that this is
               not an exhaustive list and therefore should not be used in lieu of the entire informati on
               circular.
          1.   What is the main purpose of the United Nations tax reimbursement system?
                     The United States does not exempt the United Nations earnings of its taxpayers
               from taxes. The purpose of the reimbursement system is to place United Nations staff
               members subject to taxation in the position in which they would have been if their
               official emoluments were not taxed. Hence, it is intended neither to provide a benefit,
               nor to place the staff member at a disadvantage, in relation to other United Nations
               staff members who are not required to pay taxes to a Member State on their United
               Nations emoluments (see paras. 3 and 4 of the information circular).
          4.   Who has to pay self-employment tax, and what is a staff member’s share?
                     According to United States law, it is mandatory that all United States citizens
               serving in the United States pay self-employment tax on their United Nations
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                 earnings. United States citizens serving abroad who spend time on official duty in the
                 United States are also subject to self-employment tax on the earnings for the period
                 worked in the United States. For 2024, the social security tax rate is 12.4 per cent of
                 the social security wage base, plus a Medicare tax rate of 2.9 per cent on all wages.
                 The staff member will pay 6.2 per cent for the social security tax and 1.45 per cent
                 for the Medicare tax. The social security wage base was $168,600 for 2024 and
                 increased to $176,100 in 2025.
                       There is an additional Medicare tax of 0.9 per cent for employees with earnings
                 over $250,000 for a married individual filing a joint return, $125,000 for a married
                 individual filing a separate return and $200,000 for all others. The United Nations
                 will normally reimburse one half of the self-employment tax due on United Nations
                 taxable earnings as calculated on IRS schedule SE; a United States taxpaying staff
                 member must pay the other half. An additional Medicare tax (0.9 per cent), if
                 applicable, is payable in full by the staff member.
            5.   How does a staff member request: (a) income tax advances; and/or (b) income
                 tax reimbursement from the United Nations?
           (a)   Income tax advances
                       To request income tax advances, a staff member subject to income taxation
                 should complete United Nations form F.65, answer “yes” in part 2 and submit it,
                 together with a copy of his or her personnel action form, to the Income Tax Unit (see
                 paras. 6 (b)–8 of the information circular). United States permanent residents should
                 also provide the personnel action form reflecting the date when they signed the
                 waiver.
            6.   What are the deadlines for submitting requests for income tax reimbursements
                 to the United Nations and filing with United States tax authorities?
                        The deadlines for the submission of requests for 2024 income tax
                 reimbursement to the United Nations are 3 March 2025 for staff serving in the United
                 States and 1 April 2025 for staff serving elsewhere. The Income Tax Unit must receive
                 the requests by these deadlines to allow adequate time for processing and
                 reimbursement before the actual filing deadline with the tax authorities. The deadlines
                 for filing 2024 income tax returns with the tax authorities are 15 April 2025 for
                 taxpayers in the United States and 16 June 2025 for overseas taxpayers. Requests for
                 income tax reimbursement submitted after the submission deadlines are handled on a
                 first-come, first-served basis.
            7.   How does the United Nations calculate income tax reimbursements due to
                 staff members?
                       Income tax reimbursements are made for the tax attributable to United Nations
                 salary and emoluments. This tax is considered to be the difference between: (a) the
                 actual total tax payable for the year as shown in the copies of the tax return with the
                 United Nations income (as shown on the staff member’s statement of taxable
                 earnings) included; and (b) the tax that would be payable if United Nations income
                 were excluded from total income. Both calculations use the actual income, loss,
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               adjustments to income, total deductions and exemptions claimed by the staff member
               on his or her tax returns to arrive at the taxable income. The actual total tax payable
               in (a) in the prior sentence is calculated by using the actual income, loss, adjustme nts
               to income, total deductions and exemptions claimed by the staff member on his or her
               tax returns. The tax that is payable if United Nations income is excluded in (b) in the
               prior sentence is calculated by using the deductions and exemptions claimed by the
               staff member on his or her actual tax returns (see para. 28 of the information circular).
               To illustrate the United Nations income tax reimbursement, assume that a staff
               member and his or her spouse working outside the United Nations who filed as
               “married filing jointly” for 2024 had the federal taxable income set out below and
               were not subject to self-employment tax (amounts in United States dollars).
               Note: Limitations of itemized deductions that may result from inclusion of United
               Nations earnings are not claimable. Premium, additional child and other tax credits
               (reported on schedule 3) for which a staff member may be eligible on the basis of
               non-United Nations earnings alone, but for which a staff member is not eligible on
               the basis of actual total income, including United Nations earnings, are also not
               claimable.
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                       Federal and New York state tax advances are paid directly to IRS and New York
                 State by the United Nations for crediting to the taxpayer’s individual account as
                 estimated tax payments. In exceptional cases where electronic payments are not
                 possible, tax advance cheques payable to the tax authorities may be issued.
                       Advances for Washington, D.C., Virginia or Maryland state/city estimated taxes
                 will be made by electronic fund transfer or cheque payable to staff members, who
                 should deposit the cheques into their personal bank accounts and issue their own
                 cheques to pay for the estimated tax.
                       It is the responsibility of staff members to include on their estimated tax forms
                 their share of self-employment tax, if applicable, and estimates of additional taxable
                 income from sources other than the United Nations and to pay the estimated tax due
                 thereon.
                 Note: High-income group taxpayers may be required to pay a net investment income
                 tax. This tax is the staff member’s responsibility (for details please visit the IRS
                 website or consult with a tax accountant).
            9.   What should a staff member do with United Nations tax cheques payable to the
                 tax authorities?
                       A staff member should forward any United Nations tax cheques made payable
                 to the relevant tax authorities to the appropriate addresses of the tax authorities. A
                 staff member should not, under any circumstances, cash or deposit any United
                 Nations tax cheques payable to the tax authority into his or her bank account.
           10.   What happens if the staff member pays the balance due before receiving
                 United Nations tax settlement cheques?
                       If a staff member pays the balance due before receiving United Nations tax
                 cheques, he or she should return to the Income Tax Unit the United Nations cheques
                 payable to the tax authorities, together with proof that he or she paid the tax
                 authorities (such as copies of his or her cancelled personal cheques). The Unit will
                 then reissue the United Nations tax cheques to the staff member in his or her name.
           11.   Who gets the tax refund that a staff member receives from the tax authorities?
                       Entitlement to tax refunds depends on who overpays the tax authorities. A staff
                 member may retain the tax refund that he or she receives from the tax authorities if
                 he or she has more withholding tax on his or her non -United Nations income than his
                 or her tax liabilities or if he or she overpays the tax authorities on the non -United
                 Nations earnings. If the United Nations overpays the estimated income tax advances
                 relating to a staff member, the overpayment amount will be indicated on a transmittal
                 statement to the staff member after the staff member’s income tax reimbursement
                 claim is settled. The United Nations treats these overpayments as prepayments of tax
                 advances for the subsequent year. Staff members who continue to be subject to United
                 States income taxes on the United Nations earnings should indicate on their tax
                 returns that tax overpayment should be applied to the following year’s estimated
                 taxes. Separated staff members should return the United Nations portion of tax
                 refunds to the Organization.
           12.   Who pays the penalties and interest imposed by tax authorities?
                       Given that the responsibility for filing complete, correct and timely tax returns
                 is that of the individual taxpayer, the United Nations will not reimburse staff members
                 for penalties and/or interest imposed by tax authorities on their United Nations
                 earnings except if: (a) the delays are attributable to the Organization; or (b) penalties
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               or interest are the result of written instructions given by the United Nations. Under
               some conditions, staff members serving outside the United States may also be
               reimbursed for penalties and interest (see para. 69 of the information circular). The
               United Nations will not pay any late filing penalties under any circumstances. Staff
               members are, therefore, advised to file the appropriate extension forms with tax
               authorities before the deadline for filing.
         13.   What action is taken by the United Nations Income Tax Unit if a staff member
               makes an error in his or her tax returns?
                     If the Income Tax Unit, in the course of processing a staff member’s request for
               reimbursements, determines that there is an error, it will issue to the staff member a
               written notice of corrections to be made to the tax return(s) by the staff member. Staf f
               members are required to acknowledge and certify that they have made the appropriate
               changes on their tax returns submitted to the tax authorities, and to return the certified
               correction notification, together with a copy of the corrected tax forms, to th e Unit.
               Staff members should not, however, rely on the Unit to detect errors. They remain
               fully responsible for filing correct returns with the tax authorities.
                     It should be noted that, by completing IRS form 4506-C (consent for the Internal
               Revenue Service to disclose tax return information to the United Nations), a staff
               member authorizes IRS to disclose to the United Nations tax information and
               estimated tax payments regarding his or her federal income tax account(s) for the
               specific tax years if and when the United Nations requests this information. The tax
               information is used only to ascertain that the staff member who submits photocopies
               of his or her income tax returns to the Income Tax Unit also files the same income tax
               returns with IRS. It does not imply that the staff member’s federal income tax returns
               are completely correct and accepted by IRS. Nor does it imply that the United Nations
               is obligated to verify the validity of each claim submitted to the Unit with the tax
               authorities.
         14.   Under what circumstances can a married staff member file separately?
                     In general, if a married staff member is not receiving dependency benefits for
               his or her spouse, he or she can elect to file separately. If the staff member uses
               itemized deductions that are less than the standard deduction, the United Nations will
               calculate the reimbursement using the standard deduction. If a staff member files
               separately while receiving dependency benefits for his or her spouse, the United
               Nations reimbursement of income taxes will be calculated as if he or she were filing
               a joint return with the spouse (see para. 13 of the information circular).
         15.   Does a staff member have to claim dependants for whom he or she receives
               dependency benefits from the United Nations?
                     There is no personal exemption in effect for federal income taxes. However,
               there are federal dependant credits, which lower the tax liability, and the dependant
               exemption is still available for most states. Staff members are therefore required to
               claim all dependants.
         16.   Should a staff member submit a copy of his or her income tax return to the
               Income Tax Unit if he or she is stationed abroad and does not have any federal
               tax due in respect of United Nations earnings?
                     It is advisable for the staff member to submit a photocopy of his or her income
               tax return to the Income Tax Unit, even if he or she qualifies in full under the foreign
               earned income exclusion and may not have any tax liabilities. It provides a continuous
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                 record for his or her tax file and, in instances of subsequent amendments, he or she
                 can submit an amended return to the Unit for reimbursement.
           17.   How does one enrol with the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System? What
                 information needs to be communicated to the Income Tax Unit?
                      Forms and instructions for enrolling with the Electronic Federal Tax Payment
                 System (EFTPS) are available online, at www.eftps.gov. A copy of the EFTPS
                 enrolment status letter that contains the personal identification number (PIN) must be
                 provided to the Income Tax Unit (PIN should be blacked out).
           18.   Can the Income Tax Unit prepare my tax return or provide tax or financial advice?
                       Staff members of the Income Tax Unit are not permitted to provide tax advice
                 to staff members or to assist in the preparation of tax returns. Given that the individual
                 taxpayer remains fully responsible for filing correct returns with the tax authorities,
                 he or she should not rely on the Unit to detect errors. The United Nations cannot
                 provide advice or assistance to staff members on tax matters, other than in relation to
                 the treatment of taxable United Nations earnings included in the statement of taxable
                 earnings, or contact tax authorities on a staff member’s behalf.
           20.   Do all staff members paying United States income tax receive estimated
                 tax advances?
                       No estimated tax advances will be issued to staff members who are working
                 under an initial appointment contract with the United Nations of less than six months’
                 duration or under a WAE (when actually employed) contract. The United Nations will
                 reimburse any penalty incurred by staff members relating to underpayment of
                 estimated taxes on such United Nations income.
           21.   I have refugee or political asylum status and a valid work permit but am not a
                 permanent resident of the United States or a United States citizen. Should I pay
                 tax on United Nations emoluments?
                       No. United Nations staff members who have employment authorization in the
                 United States (a work permit) and who have refugee or political asylum status are
                 exempt from income taxation by the United States on their United Nations earnings,
                 as long as they have not been granted permanent residency status in the United States
                 (alien registration card) and signed the waiver of rights, privileges, exemptions and
                 immunities under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United
                 Nations.
           22.   How secure is my income tax claim submission to the Income Tax Unit?
                       The Income Tax Unit has set up a website, the UN Income Tax Portal, for the
                 secure submission and transmission of staff members’ tax documents. With support
                 from the Office of Information and Communications Technology, the Tax Portal
                 undergoes rigorous security assessments to ensure the secure storage and retention of
                 all the tax documents. Only authorized personnel have access to the Tax Portal.
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         23.   How will a staff member know when his or her claim has been received?
                     The staff member will receive an automatic email response following
               submission of the tax claim. Subsequent emails will be sent when the tax claim is
               logged, approved or rejected in the income tax system. Staff members who enter data
               manually into the data forms on the Tax Portal will also have the option to view the
               status of their submission on the Tax Portal home page.
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Annex II
           Tax forms
                The United Nations and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms listed below can
           be found on the pages that follow:
              • Request for 2024 income tax settlement and 2025 income tax advances (form F.65)
              • Request for settlement of income taxes (supplementary information) (form F.65/A)
              • Checklist (form F.247)
              • IRS form 4506-C (pre-populated), to be used to request a transcript of one’s tax
                return
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