Many of us worked from home last year starting in March. How do I get a refund from Detroit city taxes if I wasn't in Detroit?

[jameseasterly1]

Last year in 2020, my company had most of us working from home starting in March. This mean we were not working from the office located in Detroit. It was brought to my attention by a co-worker that we are able to get money back from Detroit taxes as we were only in the office for 2.5 months of the year. I'm curious how I would be able to file for that with TurboTax and if I need to ask for some additional help. It would be nice if I could talk to someone who works for TurboTax for this directly, maybe even a phone call if need be.

[LenaH]

You have to file a part-year return for Detroit and indicate the dates 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 part-year Detroit return:

1. Click on State.
2. Click Continue next to Michigan.
3. On the screen Which Cities Did you Live or Work In? Click Detroit.
4. Click that you need a Detroit Part-year resident return. 
5. Continue through your return.
6. Enter the dates you worked in Detroit on the screen Detroit Residency. 

[jameseasterly1]

When going through this process, it seems like the listing for "nonresident" is the correct option. After reviewing information from another post, it was suggested to look into filing a Form 5119, 2020 City of Detroit Nonresident Income Tax Return.

Form 5119 Info: https://www.michigan.gov/taxes/0,4676,7-238-73294-522100--,00.html

Though when going through the directions you provided, I was given a City of Detroit Part-Year Resident Income Tax Return (Form 5120). I'm a little confused on this, and what information would need to be provided in the Form 5120, or if this is even the proper form to fill out as I was not technically a resident of Detroit, but commuted and worked in Detroit from January to March. 

[Cynthiad66]

City of Detroit NonResident Income Tax Return

Form 5119 - Complete this form if you were not a resident of the City of Detroit for any part of the calendar year, but had taxable income earned in the City of Detroit.

Form 5119 Instructions

Nonresident/Part-Year:

  •  File a return if you owe tax, are due a refund, or your wages exceed your exemption allowance. 
  •  If your wages are less than your personal exemption allowance and City income tax was withheld from your
     earnings, you must file a return to claim a refund of the tax withheld.

Determine your residency status.