Do I have to file Illinois tax if I made 0 dollars in Illinois since I live in Japan.

[bodhi24]

Expat living in Japan since 2010. I have been diligently filing both fed and il state taxes although I don't make any income in Illinois. Can I stop filing for il state taxes since I don't have any income at all in Illinois.

I believe the website states if you file fed income tax you must file Illinois income tax.

Please advise

[Mike9241]

An expat, or expatriate, is a person who is living in a country that is not their own, either temporarily or permanently. 

You are an Illinois resident if you were domiciled in Illinois for the entire year. Your domicile is the place where you reside and the place where you intend to return after temporary absences. Temporary absences may include residence in a foreign country.

domicile = the country that a person treats as their permanent home, or lives in and has a substantial connection with.

so if your residence in japan is temporary and you are domiciled in illinois, you are suppose to file a return if you meet either of the criteria below.

if have no place of domicile in the US you do not file an Illinois return. 

Who must file an Illinois tax return?

If you were

►

an Illinois resident, you must file Form IL-1040 if

• you were required to file a federal income tax return, or 
• you were not required to file a federal income tax return, but your Illinois base income from Line 9 is greater than your Illinois exemption allowance.

[bodhi24]

Thank you Mike for taking the time to answer my question. Very clear and well noted. Next Year I will skip the Illinois State Tax Form.

All the best!