topic My Husband and I worked in different states, we are filing federal tax as "Married filing joint", should we file as "Single" on individual state taxes ? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

My Husband and I worked in different states, we are filing federal tax as "Married filing joint", should we file as "Single" on individual state taxes ?

sridevi88 — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:27:49 GMT

Hi! I'd like to know about our situation. Husband lives and works in MN. I live and work in TX with our 1 year old child. He commute to Texas once in a month. Thank you!

Re: My Husband and I worked in different states, we are filing federal tax as "Married filing joi...

MaryK4 — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:36:43 GMT

Texas does not have an individual income tax so you do not have to file a Texas return. Minnesota requires you to use the same filing status on the state return as you did on the federal, so you will want to file Married Joint. You will be able to indicate that you are a nonresident of Minnesota so only his Minnesota income will be taxed. TurboTax will walk you through the interview to get the information for the Minnesota return- and if you have any questions as you are doing this, please post here again and we will be glad to help!

See Filing Status for Individuals.

Re: My Husband and I worked in different states, we are filing federal tax as "Married filing joint", should we file as "Single" on individual state taxes ?

Opus 17 — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

You can't file as single, but you could file as married filing separately. More specifically in your case, if your spouse's permanent residence is in MN, then he needs to file in MN as a resident. If he files jointly, then your income is also taxed in MN. You don't want to do that. On the other hand, you don't need to file a TX return at all.

So ideally, you file a joint federal return, he files a MFS MN return, and you don't file a state return. Sometimes the state provides an easier option. I'm having trouble getting details off the MN web site, @TomD8 is more of an expert on this.

If you did need to do that, what you would do is prepare and e-file the joint federal return with no state; then prepare a federal MFS return with a MN state return, don't file the federal, and mail the state.