Hello!My situation is (2024 year):Me - NC resident, worked only in NCMy wife - moved from NC to MA in July. Didn't work in NC. Started working in MA in July So, I have only W2 (plus I have some income from stocks) and my wife has only one W2. I've done some research (thanks to amazing posts in this community). Am I right about how we should file?E-file:Federal - MFJNC - MFJBy mail:MA - only my wife files MFS. And she must do it by mail If yes, as I can see from TurboTax downloadable software, I can e-file Federal and NC in one shot. And after that use this guide - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/pre[product key removed]al-return-separate-state/L7I53364c_US_en_US and prepare documents for my wife to file by mail. Please double check me if I'm right I appreciate any help you can provide.

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kovvas

Question

Spouse moved to another state mid year. Am I getting it right how to file?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 1, 2025
2 replies
0 views

Hello!

My situation is (2024 year):

Me - NC resident, worked only in NC

My wife - moved from NC to MA in July. Didn't work in NC. Started working in MA in July

So, I have only W2 (plus I have some income from stocks) and my wife has only one W2.

I've done some research (thanks to amazing posts in this community). Am I right about how we should file?

E-file:

Federal - MFJ
NC - MFJ

By mail:

MA - only my wife files MFS. And she must do it by mail

If yes, as I can see from TurboTax downloadable software, I can e-file Federal and NC in one shot. And after that use this guide - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/pre[product key removed]al-return-separate-state/L7I53364c_US_en_US and prepare documents for my wife to file by mail.

Please double check me if I'm right

I appreciate any help you can provide.

JohnB5677

Where does your wife consider "HOME"?

Does she intend to return to NC?

If she does not intend to return you will file Federal as MFJ, and

File both NC and MA as MFS so her MA income is not listed as part of NC

If she does plan to come back you will still file federal as MFJ. but

File both states as MFJ, but have your wife as a non resident on the MA return.

You will show both incomes on NC, but get a tax credit for taxes paid to MA.

Only her income would go on the MA tax return.

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kovvasAuthor

Thank you for such a fast response!

My wife is considering home as her new place in MA. Unfortunately, she forgot to update her address with her new employer so she has our NC address in her MA W2 form. But she paid all taxes in MA.

Just to clarify, I have my income only in NC and my wife only has income in MA

As I understand you, we should do the following:

Federal - E-file MFJ

NC - only I paper-file MFS (or I can E-file MFS with Federal?)

MA - only my wife paper-files MFS

Is that right?

Thank you so much for your attention and participation.

DianeW777

Yes, you understand. TurboTax may allow one state as e-file, and I would suggest North Carolina (NC). File the MA by paper and both states married filing separately (MFS).

MA: If married taxpayers have a Massachusetts residency tax year that begins and ends on different days, they must file married filing separately, assuming each spouse is required to file.
NC: For a married couple filing a joint federal income tax return, if either the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse is a nonresident and has no North Carolina taxable income for the taxable year, the filing status married filing separately may be claimed on the North Carolina income tax return.

@kovvas

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MAK70

Yes, you only need to send the Massachusetts state return, not the "mock" federal return you created.

You do not need to wait for the federal to get accepted before sending the Massachusetts, In general, paper return take longer to process, but they do not need the federal to be accepted.

Thank you for asking the questions, we all are here to help!

@kovvas

kovvasAuthor

Hello!

Can you please help me with that moment?

@DianeW777 mentioned that TurboTax may allow filling one state as an e-file in my case. As I understand, I need to file MFJ Federal and MFS NC. But I don't see how it is possible simultaneously because TurboTax keeps me as MFJ in that NC return.

If I follow that guide - Link to TurboTax Page - it is said that I can file MFS state returns only via mail.

So I am a bit confused.

Would appreciate any help with that

Thank you in advance

DaveF1006

It depends. You do have some options to consider..

Create a Separate Tax Return. Prepare your MFJ federal return and e-file it. Do not prepare a State return in this filing.
Now create a new account in TurboTax Online, which means paying for a new return. On this return, you will fill out a Married Filing Separate return on your federal return as well as the state return. At the end of the tax return, indicate you will mail both returns. Here you will retrieve your NC state return and mail it.
If you have the TurboTax desktop software, you can file both returns in the same product.

You may wish to file Married Filing Jointly because North Carolina allows MFJ even if spouses have different residency statuses. You may be able to file MFJ for NC and allocate only the NC-resident spouse’s income and the rest of the income in MA.

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