Hi,

I lived and worked in MA and my spouse lived and worked in MD for the whole year of 2008.

Looking at some of similar questions, it appears that for federal taxes we can file as Married Filing Jointly. However we are not sure of what to do for our respective states.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
RS

For states also you will file joint return.

For MA you are resident and will report your income. Your spouse is nonresident and will not report her income.

For MD you are not resident and will not report your income. Your spouse is resident and will report her income.
Read: Your U.S. Tax Return: Working or Living in Two or More states (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/06/working-in-two-or-more-states.html)

For states also you will file joint return.

For MA you are resident and will report your income. Your spouse is nonresident and will not report her income.

For MD you are not resident and will not report your income. Your spouse is resident and will report her income.
Read: Your U.S. Tax Return: Working or Living in Two or More states (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/06/working-in-two-or-more-states.html)

Hi MukatA,
I was going through the instructions for Form 1 for MA and it says that we can file jointly only if both of us are residents of MA and since my wife lived and worked in MD she will not be a resident. May be Married Filing Separately is more appropriate.

Thanks,
RS

As a general rule, you file on the state return the SAME way you file on the federal return. There ARE exceptions, but thet are few and fair between.

I know for fact that, on the Massachusetts return, you file the same way as you filed on the federal return/