In June of 2017 I moved out of NJ and have been traveling abroad since. How do I file without a permanent address? Do I file a partial year NJ return?

[eva-arch]

While traveling abroad I have earned very little income, $50, through an online Etsy shop, but other than that I have not earned any money. I am traveling, so I do not have a permanent address abroad or in the US. How/where do I tell Turbo Tax that I am not living in the US and that I do not have a permanent address? Do a file a partial year NJ tax return and nothing for the rest of the year?

[DS30 · Accepted solution]

If you have no permanent address and you want to file a US federal income tax return, you will need to include a "c/o" address where you receive mail (whether that is a PO Box or the address of a relative) on your tax return.

Also if you do not have any taxable income for the year or less than $400 of self-employment income, then you are not required to file either a US federal or state income tax return for that year.

[eva-arch]

Thank you for your response. I did earn money working the first part of the year (before quitting my job and leaving the country) so I need to file a federal return & NJ State return. Do I file a partial-year return for NJ and then no state return for the rest of the year? Might that trigger an audit? Or would it be better to act like I lived in NJ the whole year?

[DS30]

It depends - If you intent to return to NJ after living aboard and have kept ties to NJ, then you would want to file a full year NJ state income tax return. However, If you have permanently left NJ and moved aboard, you will just need to file an NJ part-year return to include all income from all sources worldwide for that part of the year you were an NJ resident only. (Then no other state return filing is needed for the part of the year you lived abroad.) If you are a US citizen, you will still need to file a federal return for the entire year to report worldwide income (even if you are only filing a part-year NJ state income tax return). However, any income that you earned outside the US being reported on your federal return may be eligible for a Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or a Foreign Tax Credit.

[eva-arch]

Thank you so much for this response! It completely answers my questions. I am a US citizen, and have moved abroad permanently so I will just file the partial NJ return. I will check into the tax credits you mentioned. Thanks again!!

[DS30]

You are very welcome 🙂 Be safe in all your adventures.