Filing tax return for college kids

[haibol]

My college kid made more than $10,000 in 2024. Should she file her own tax return? Parents live in MA but kid lives in CA. Which State (MA or CA) should be the kid's resident state?

[ThomasM125 · Accepted solution]

She will be required to file her own tax return as opposed to you filing her income on your return. She can use this IRS tool to determine if she needs to file a return, but she can file in any case to get a refund if there were taxes withheld as reported in boxes 2 or 17. If she is away temporarily she can file as a Massachusetts resident, but if she had California state taxes reported in box 16 on her W-2, she will have to file a California return either as a resident or non-resident, depending on her status as mentioned earlier.

[haibol]

The lived more than 10 months in California for school and less than 2 months at home in MA. Can she file her tax return as a CA resident?

[DavidD66 · Accepted solution]

As college a student, if you are claiming her as a dependent, she would still be a MA resident. If she does not qualify as your dependent, then she remains a MA resident unless and until she takes action to change her residency.  That would include things like getting a California drivers license, registering her vehicle in California, etc.  Also, has she established a permanent abode in California, or is MA still her primary residence.  If has not taken the necessary steps to establish CA residence, she should file a MA resident tax return and a CA non-resident tax return.