Should I file a Louisiana return if I moved from Louisiana to North Carolina in February 2017 and I did not earn any money in Louisiana prior to the move?

[mikisings4u]

I have w-2's from North Carolina and Virginia for 2017, but none from Louisiana.

[DianeW · Accepted solution]

No.  If there was no money earned while you were a resident of Louisiana (LA), and you had no property such as a rental or other property that earned money in LA.

File only the North Carolina (NC) return as a part year resident. And a Virginia (VA) return for the wages earned there, resident if you lived their while working there, or nonresident if you lived in NC while working there.

Resident State:  All income worldwide is required to be reported on your resident state return.  Any money that is also taxed in a nonresident state allows you to use "credit for taxes paid to another state" when you complete your resident state return.  Your resident state does not want you to pay tax twice on the same income.

Nonresident State: Any money earned in a nonresident state is required to be reported on that state tax return (with the exception of reciprocal agreements which does not apply in this case).  The nonresident state will tax any income earned while you were in that state. Complete this state return first.