Do I file a Kansas return?

[CindyKR]

I live in Arkansas full-time.
I did bookkeeping work for a resident of Kansas and was paid by them,
but did it all virtually while physically in Arkansas. 

My SO has KPERS retirement from Kansas, which is exempt from Kansas income tax.
We are able to exempt up to $6,000 of employer-sponsored pension from Arkansas income.

Do I need to file a Kansas return in order to either/both pay income tax on the income I made or claim the $6,000 pension exemption for part of the KS pension on our AR state return?

[DavidD66 · Accepted solution]

You do not need to file a Kansas return if you did not live in Kansas or work in Kansas.  Your retirement income is taxable based on where you live when you received it.  Not the state that pays it.

[CindyKR]

DavidD66,

Thanks. I guess I was confused because Kansas requires you to file a return even if you make only $5. I made about $50 one year when I was physically doing work there and the company accidentally sent me a check (even though it was supposed to be a work exchange) and didn't want me to return it. Then, Kansas required me to file a return that year, even though I owed nothing (I called them and asked). But, this time I did the work all while in Arkansas, so I guess it's different.

And, last year I did a lot of work and made money while I was physically in Kansas, and we just started to get the pension from Kansas last year, too. So, I was thinking I had to do to file in Kansas this year, too. 

I already paid for the KS state software product and downloaded it. I guess I'll have to figure out if I can get a refund from TT for that. Not sure where to go to do that.