Wife and I living in separate states due to new job

Wafflestick · #1 (**permalink**) 04-01-2014, 12:11 PM

In August 2013 I started a new job in WA. My wife and her kids stayed behind in MA while waiting for the house to sell. She was still there at the end of 2013 and additionally she has no income for the year. After finishing our Federal Return, the MA state return says we cannot file "married filing jointly" because we had different addresses at the end of 2013. More specifically, I either have to pay MA state tax on my WA income since my wife is still in MA, or we have to file federal as "married filing separate" which decimates our tax return.

Can I just claim her as a part year resident of WA as well since she had no income in 2013 in MA anyway, and is only there because our house still hasn't sold yet? If not, is there something else we can do like filing separate state taxes based off the single MFJ return?

Wnhough · #2 (**permalink**) 04-01-2014, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wafflestick

#1;In August 2013 I started a new job in WA. My wife and her kids stayed behind in MA while waiting for the house to sell. She was still there at the end of 2013 and additionally she has no income for the year. After finishing our Federal Return, the MA state return says we cannot file "married filing jointly" because we had different addresses at the end of 2013. More specifically, I either have to pay MA state tax on my WA income since my wife is still in MA, or we have to file federal as "married filing separate" which decimates our tax return.

#2:Can I just claim her as a part year resident of WA as well since she had no income in 2013 in MA anyway, and is only there because our house still hasn't sold yet?

#3; If not, is there something else we can do like filing separate state taxes based off the single MFJ return?

#1;Even if you started a new job in WA, as you were still a MA FY resident, NOT part year resident of MA(you were a nonresident of WA I mean), so both of you needed to file your MA return as either MFS/MFJ regardless of your address. However, you do not need to file yur fed return as MFS, but you canfield your fed return as MFJ or MFS.

#2;UNLESS she moved to WAfter 2013, in 2013 she was a FY res of MA NOT even a PY resident of MA . So unless you were a FY res of WA, both you and your spouse can file as MFJ/MFS in MA. You ned to report your WA source income to MA as there is no state tax in WA.

#3;as mentioned above. ASLONGAS both of yu were FY residents of MA(unless both of you or you moved to WA during the year of 2013, you need to file your MA return as NFJ or MFS.

Wafflestick · #3 (**permalink**) 04-02-2014, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wnhough

#1;Even if you started a new job in WA, as you were still a MA FY resident, NOT part year resident of MA(you were a nonresident of WA I mean), so both of you needed to file your MA return as either MFS/MFJ regardless of your address. However, you do not need to file yur fed return as MFS, but you canfield your fed return as MFJ or MFS.

#2;UNLESS she moved to WAfter 2013, in 2013 she was a FY res of MA NOT even a PY resident of MA . So unless you were a FY res of WA, both you and your spouse can file as MFJ/MFS in MA. You ned to report your WA source income to MA as there is no state tax in WA.

#3;as mentioned above. ASLONGAS both of yu were FY residents of MA(unless both of you or you moved to WA during the year of 2013, you need to file your MA return as NFJ or MFS.

Thanks for the quick response! I may not have accurately explained the scenario. When I took the WA job, I moved to WA (I'm renting a place here, my car is licensed here, registered to vote here, etc.). So that would classify me as a part year MA/part year WA resident, correct?

If so, then what you are saying is we can file MFJ for federal, and I will file a MFS for MA for the time I lived there. She had no income for the year, so she shouldn't have to even file a state return. If she did, we would also have to file a state return for her, but federal is still the single MFJ.

I think I got it! Thanks again!