I work in NJ and live in PA. Do I need to file both state returns?

[ChristinaS · Accepted solution]

No. Just PA.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania have reciprocity. So, you should only have had taxes withheld for the state of Pennsylvania. You may have had some employment taxes withheld by NJ (unemployment, family leave), but you should not have had NJ income taxes taken out.

You would not file a New Jersey tax return in your situation. You would only file one if you had NJ taxes withheld in error, or if you had NJ income not covered by reciprocity, such as a rental property or a small business.

[Kfeeney1025]

I’m in the same situation but received 2 W2s, one for NJ and one for PA

[TomD8]

@Kfeeney1025 --  If you lived in PA all year, your employer should not have withheld NJ taxes from your W-2 income.   Your entire income is taxable by PA. 

In order to obtain a refund of the incorrectly withheld NJ taxes, you'll have to file a non-resident NJ return, showing zero NJ income.

And if you haven't done so already, submit New Jersey Form NJ-165 to your NJ employer.  Here's a link to that form:  https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/current/nj165.pdf