Im active duty military stationed in california i have never had too pay state taxes but this year i have to pay 670 dollars why?

[TomD8 · Accepted solution]

If California is not your State of Legal Residence (your SLR), be sure you did not enter it as your State of Residence in the My Info/Personal Info section of TurboTax.  Instead, enter your SLR.  Then, if your only income was your military pay, answer No to the question about having Other State Income.

[Carl]

If california is not your state of residence as indicated on your W-2, and assuming your active duty pay is the "ONLY" income you received for the tax year, then you DO NOT file a CA state return.

When the program asks you for your state of legal residence (SLR) or Home of Record (HOR) you select the state that is listed on your LES. What's on your LES should match what is shown in box 15 of your W-2, unless your state does not tax personal income. (If your HOR does not tax personal income, then box 15 will be blank on your W-2.)