Hi,
This comes down to whether or not California thinks you have "California sourced income." If you are a W-2 employee (not a contractor, rules are different for that) and you never set foot in California, you will not have California sourced income. However, if you worked in California for any of that time, you would have California sourced income and would need to file a California non-resident tax return. While the opinions and information shared in this article are the responsibility of the author, I found it to be a useful recap of some of the issues.
Keep in mind that for the year of the move, you will be a part-year California resident and you would need to file a CA part-year resident return.
As a part-year resident you pay tax on:
- All worldwide income received while a California resident
- Income from California sources while you were a nonresident
Here is some information from the CA FTB that also has some scenarios that may be helpful to you.
As to the W-2's, likely you will get one W-2 with income from 2 states. I suggest you talk to your HR department to make sure they have noted your change in residency.
Cheer below if you found this helpful.
Best,
Karen
**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
