What is tax return and how it works?

How to you file a tax return for a person who works outside of the US?

• I'd like to ask about how to file a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for a person who is working outside of the United States. My friend's family have just immigrated into the U.S.A. on Jan. 3, 2010. They all have a permanent resident alien status now. However, they can not find a job at Boston, MA, right now. So, my friend went back to China to work over there, but she wants to know how to file a tax return for U.S.A. Can she use her China's Income for filing a Tax Return? She wants to work at China and keep a permanent resident alien status at the U.S.A. at the same time.

• Answer:

  You start by reading IRS publication 54. Essentially as a green card holder, she has to file a 1040 using worldwide income. She may be eligible to file the form 2555. As for keeping the green card, there are separate rules as to how often she must return.