Hi - We got married in 2022 and live in different states (and likely will this year too). I am retired and have a pension in NJ. She does not work, and only has SSD in VA. I'd like to file married jointly, but how do we reconcile the state returns? Does she need one for VA at all?
Q. Does she need one for VA at all?
A. No.
Virginia:
"You are not required to file if you don't owe any taxes and will not receive a refund. However, we periodically review and update our records to make sure that we have the correct return information on file. As a result, even if you didn't need to file a return for a given year, we may send you a letter later asking you to verify your Virginia adjusted gross income." (1-10-20)
Q. I'd like to file married jointly, but how do we reconcile the state returns?
A. I'm not specifically familiar with the NJ forms and TT program. But the usual method is not to enter her income at the income allocation screen. NJ does not tax SS benefits, so the question may not even come up. If somebody from NJ does give you an answer, just start the NJ software, it will probably be self evident.