Worked remotely for CA based company, shall I file CA taxes. Does physical residence matter?

sadjad · ‎February 22, 2026

xmasbaby0

You pay tax to the state that you live and work in. If you did not live in CA and did not work in CA, you do not pay tax to CA. Did the employer withhold CA tax? If so, file a NON-resident CA return to seek a refund of tax withheld for CA before you prepare the return for the state you actually lived and worked in.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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DoninGA

Yes, a physical presence matters. If you did not work or live in California at any time in 2025 then you do not need to file a CA state tax return.

xmasbaby0

You pay tax to the state that you live and work in. If you did not live in CA and did not work in CA, you do not pay tax to CA. Did the employer withhold CA tax? If so, file a NON-resident CA return to seek a refund of tax withheld for CA before you prepare the return for the state you actually lived and worked in.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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Worked remotely for CA based company, shall I file CA taxes. Does physical residence matter?