My employer withheld Detroit City taxes from my paycheck in 2020 and 2021, but I worked remote. How do I get a refund for that since I did not work in the city?

[LenaH]

You have to file a nonresident return for Detroit and indicate zero for the amount of wages you earned wages inside of the city. 

Wages earned as a non-resident while working from a location outside the City of Detroit are not taxable to Detroit. If Detroit taxes were taken out of your paycheck the entire year, you will get a refund of the local tax paid while you were not working in Detroit.

Please follow the steps below to file a nonresident Detroit return:

1. Open your return.
2. Click on State on the left-hand side.
3. Click Edit or Continue next to Michigan.
4. On the screen Which Cities Did you Live or Work In? Click Detroit.
5. Click that you need a Detroit non-resident return. 
6. Continue through your return.
7. On the page, A few things before we wrap up your state taxes, click Start next to Michigan City Tax Returns.
8. On the page, Income Apportionment, enter the amount of wages you earned while in the Detroit location (zero). 
9. Follow the on-screen instructions. 

To amend your 2020 return, please follow the instructions on the page How do I amend my 2020 return? 

Edited 4/6/22 l 10:20AM PST] 

@n-d-davison 

[n-d-davison]

Thank you. Is there a way to amend the 2020 return as well? 

[n-d-davison]

@LenaH Thank you. Is there a way to amend the 2020 return as well? 

[Vanessa A]

Yes. Click here for instructions on how to  Amend Your Return for 2020.