Part year or full year state tax for newly married couple? Husband lived in NJ for the full year and I lived in NY until we moved in and moved to NJ.

[kren1011]

My husband and I got married this year and we had been living in different states prior (him in NJ and me in NY). We ultimately decided to live in NJ which is where we resided on Dec 31, 2017. We are filing jointly for 2017 and it appears to only give me the option for part-year resident for NJ (which is inaccurate for my husband). Could you please tell me how I should go about filing for this year? Should we be filing separately then? or is there a full year resident tax form that i should fill out for him?

[Karen1209 · Accepted solution]

Yes, according to NJ's Department of Taxation, a resident return is completed for your husband.

One spouse New Jersey resident, other spouse nonresident for entire year. If during the entire tax year one spouse was a resident and the other a nonresident, separate New Jersey returns may be filed, even if the couple files a joint federal return. The resident should file a resident return and the nonresident files a nonresident return. They should calculate income and exemptions as if federal married, filing separate returns had been filed. The spouses have the option of filing a joint return as residents, in which case their joint income (from both inside and outside New Jersey) would be taxed as if both were residents.

To file a part-year return for both states, please follow these steps:

• While in your return, click My Info in the left menu.
• If you've already entered information in this area, click Edit on the right of your name.
• Scroll down to question #2 (see attached example).
• Select the state you lived in on December 31.
• Click Yes.
• Select the state you moved from.
• Enter the date you became a resident of the new state.

NOTE:  Be sure to complete the former state first.

[Edited 2/25/18|1:11PM]

[kren1011]

Thanks Karen P. How would I go about doing so with Turbotax online? I've been trying to do it with the software but it would not allow for e-filing of taxes for macs.

[Karen1209]

@kren1011
Please see update.