How can I fill out tax forms so I can call my full-time 23 y.o. student son a dependent for Calif taxes but not for fed taxes? Turbotax doesn't seem to allow for this

[cjn-218]

We don't want to claim him as our federal dependent so that he can take a deduction or credit for education expenses on his own federal return.

If we don't claim him on our fed forms, it sounds like we can still claim him as a dependent on our Calif forms.  For him to qualify as a dependent on the Calif forms, however, it appears I need to document in the federal forms that he meets the "dependent" criteria. Then we automatically get the $500 federal credit, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Any suggestions? 

[maglib]

You have to prepare your whole return and e-file your federal return only. Then save and print the federal return as submitted.  You then want to open it and save it as a new name like JohnSmithwith kids for xyz state.....  change to be claiming your kids in the federal section adding them in personal interview, now this way it will allow you to e-file the state as you can not e-file a state without first e-filing the federal returns, it will know you e-filed this way and you won't have to prepare it from scratch.  I have to do similar every year.  Thankfully you use desktop as that makes it a whole lot simpler.  

Next year when you carry over your return, make sure to carry over the one you filed with the fed and note you may have to adjust the carryover worksheet if the numbers changed for the state refunds.

[fanfare]

\since you have the WIndows version , you can prepare two tax returns, one one way and the other the other way.

you'll have to file a paper CA return