Question

If I live abroad and need to file state taxes (rental income), how is this possible with TurboTax as I'm a nonresident and it's forcing me to select a State of Residence?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
March 27, 2021
1 reply
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I'm a nonresident, but I'm not a resident of any other US state. There is no option for Foreign state or possession in the State of Residence list, but it's forcing me to select a US state or specific possession. I'm in Korea, I'm not in any of those. How is it possible to use TurboTax then?

TurboTax Premier Online

T

ToddL99

Please clarify - are you a legal resident of South Korea? Are you licensed to drive and registered to vote in any U.S. state?

In the Personal Info interview, you can choose a "Foreign or U.S. Possession" as your "state of Residence in TurboTax, and a foreign mailing address.

Also in the Personal Info interview, you can tell the program you made money in another state in order to trigger a state return requirement.

See the sample screenshots, below for aid in navigation:

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GoseongGuyAuthor

Thank you for the reply.

Yes, I had already chosen both of those in the Personal Info section - Foreign or US Possession, and I also specified that I made money in another state, Ohio.

As stated, this is all fine until I get to the State taxes part. In the beginning of the State taxes part, it correctly prefills in the "nonresident" bubble. But then it makes me choose from a list the state that I was a resident in, and Ohio is not among them of course since it knows I am a nonresident of Ohio. But there is no Foreign or US Possession for me to choose in this area of the State taxes.

It looks like TurboTax does not handle State taxes for Americans living abroad with income to report from a US state. I can use TurboTax for Federal only.

And I believe it's correct to say I am a legal resident of S. Korea. I am married to a Korean with an F6 visa. And yes I still have a valid Ohio driver's license. I'm also registered to vote in Ohio (I voted absentee in the recent election).

Thanks,
Nate

Carl11_2

Employee

I still have a valid Ohio driver's license. I'm also registered to vote in Ohio

There's a way to handle this, but I honestly can't tell you what it is. Perhaps the below will help you, or assist someone in helping you to get on track.

Basically, as a U.S. Citizen, you "must" have a "tax home" state or U.S. Territory. Period. I get the impression that for you, that state would be Ohio.

So on your federal return, your home state (for tax purposes) is Ohio.

Then it's when you get to the Ohio state tax return (you "resident" return for that state) that you deal with (somehow) your physical "residency" status for state tax purposes.