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Level 2
posted Mar 23, 2022 3:39:03 PM

RSU Taxation - CA and MA

I work for a publicly traded company and was granted RSUs when i lived in CA. I understand that I need to continue paying CA taxes as my RSUs vest over the years. 

 

However: i lived in MA for a small portion of time, before setting down in VT. I paid MA taxes on my RSUs during the time i lived in MA. 

 

Now that i live in VT, do i still have to pay MA taxes? I understand i will always have to pay CA + VT taxes, but am unsure if i need to pay CA + VT + MA taxes in the future. 

0 4 1101
4 Replies
Expert Alumni
Mar 23, 2022 3:51:55 PM

No, you do not have to continue to pay the Massachusetts tax on your RSUs earned in California.  You were required to report them when you were a Massachusetts resident, but now that you are a resident of Vermont, you only have to file for CA and VT.

 

[Edited 3/23/22 I 5:00 pm PST]

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Level 13
Mar 23, 2022 4:23:57 PM

@MaryK4 check your last sentence.  I believe it needs edited.

Level 2
Mar 27, 2022 1:11:59 PM

Thank you for confirming I no longer owe MA! Unfortunately, my employer refuses to correct my W-2, and continues to allocate income to MA and prepaying MA taxes. 

 

How do i fix this in Turbotax? It's automatically pulling in the MA W-2 information. Furthermore - do i request that VT give me tax credit for the portion of W-2 income and taxes I have paid to CA? It almost seems like it is being double counted (and now triple counted because of the MA issue).

Expert Alumni
Mar 29, 2022 3:26:16 PM

@K20212  You Can't correct this problem in TurboTax.  If your employer is withholding taxes for the wrong state and refuses to correct the issue then you now get to file 4 tax returns.  Do the three state returns IN THIS ORDER:

 

For Massachusetts you will file a non-resident return just to get your withholding back.  You will exclude all of your income from Massachusetts and tell them that your withholding was paid in error.  You will need to attach a copy of all of your other returns and a copy of your W2 and you'll have to mail the return in.

 

For California you will file a non-resident return and they will tax the RSUs and you will exclude all of the other income that you have (although California uses your federal income to calculate the tax due).

 

Finally, you will file a resident return for Vermont.  Vermont will give you credit for taxes paid to California so  that you aren't taxed twice.