"Total income on W-2" on NJ state return is incorrect?

[DanielV01]

@msliming  What income should be picked up on your California W2 for New Jersey?  It is early in the year, and it is possible that the system has not fully updated yet.  But there's also a possible workaround.  Please provide us some additional details to assist you.

[msliming]

This is for 2020.  I'm having to put in my New Jersey return my earnings from when I lived in New Jersey.  Before I do that, there is an entry for total income.  New Jersey is not picking up my total income.  I read that NJ gets it's income from the state information on the W2 but it is not picking up the income from both of my W2's.

Does that help.  ie.  I worked at two different places and lived in two states during 2020.

Thanks,

Maggie

[DanielV01]

Forgive the extra questions because we don't have access to your return in this public forum.  If you worked for two separate employers, (one in California and the other in New Jersey), you should only be paying tax to New Jersey for the company in which you worked at while living in New Jersey.  That W2 will have "NJ" marked in Box 15, and there should be a state code as well (the state's tax account number).  If you didn't work in New Jersey for your other job, there would be no reason for that job to report any income to New Jersey, and if you file a part-year New Jersey return, there would be no need to include this income for your New Jersey return.  Is this your situation?

Having said this, the New Jersey return does have "foibles" to it, so if you have additional information that I'm not answering, please feel free to provide additional detail.

[msliming]

Both jobs were remote.  The first job was with a company called RCG and I was in New Jersey for the entire time.  That is the income that is not being picked up.  The second job was with the State of Montana.  I worked in New Jersey for three months and then spent the rest of the year in California.  I think it's a bug in the software but I'll leave that to you.  I made $51,000 from RCG and $39000 from Montana.  When I try to enter the portion of my income earned in New Jersey, it displays my total income as $39000.  It's not finding the other W2.

I don't mind you seeing my return if there is a way to get it to you.  I need to get this resolved.

Thanks,

Maggie

[TomD8]

Did you literally move from NJ to CA during the year, or were you in CA only on a temporary basis and then return to your home in NJ?

If you moved, when did the move take place?

If you were in CA only on a temporary basis, how many months of the tax year did you live there?

[msliming]

Yes, I moved to California from New Jersey.  I left New Jersey on August 30, 2021 and arrived in California on September 7th 2021.  I went via Texas where I had to pick up my camper.  My family helped thank God!  Anyway, I'm staying in California indefinitely.

[TomD8]

 You said:  "I left New Jersey on August 30, 2021 and arrived in California on September 7th 2021"

In an earlier post, you said:  "I'm trying to complete my tax return from 2020.  I lived in New Jersey and California during the year."

So, would it be correct that you lived in CA in 2020 but didn't actually move there until 2021?

[msliming]

I'm sorry.  I moved in 2020 not 2021.  Sorry about that.  

[TomD8]

Then for 2020 you file a part-year resident return in each of the two states.

NJ can tax all the income you earned as a resident of NJ; CA can tax all the money you made as a resident of CA.

In the personal info section of TT, answer Yes that you lived in another state and No to the question about having income from another state.

You became a CA resident on the day you began living in CA with the intent of making it your permanent home.

You do not have to file in MT because MT does not tax non-resident remote workers.

[msliming]

I think I'm using the wrong software.  Can you please send me a link to purchase 2020 Turbo Tax for the Desktop?  I've been using Turbo Tax Online for the past several years but this year I waited to late and it rolled over to 2021.  I have Turbo Tax Amend but this is not an amended return.  I'm hoping the software is the problem.  

Thanks,

Maggie

[TomD8]

Here you go:

TurboTax® 2020 Tax Software for Filing Past Years’ Taxes, Prior Year Tax Preparation (intuit.com)

[msliming]

It's still not working.  Is there a way to send you screenshots so I can show you what's happening?

[DanielV01]

Yes.  There is.  You should see an "insert photos" icon.  Just be sure that you black out any personal information, because this is a public forum.

[msliming]

[msliming]

Did you get my screenshots?