Hi,

I would like to know about filing state taxes with a tax program that I have been using for years. My wife and I file a joint return. She now has a job where she works in New Jersey and we are residents of NY state. Her employer takes out NJ State tax. My question is do I need to download a NJ State tax program also.

My next question is my son works in NJ now and he files his own return. His W2 shows deductions for NJ state tax and also NY state tax.

Do I need to get both state tax programs?

Thanks,
Alan

I have been using turbo tax for the last 5 years and to my knowledge you will need to download both states.

1. You must file tax return of the state in which you were present and earned income.
2. If you worked in a state other than your resident state, you must report your worldwide income for the year to the resident state.
Read about taxes involving two or more states: 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)

Yes, you will defintely need to download forms for both states. The software should step you through this quite easily. As for your son - you don't mention this, but I assume he lives in NY, correct?

The software should spit out a non-resident NJ tax return for both your son and your wife. Don't be alaramed that your wife's return will report ALL your income - she is actually only taxed by NJ on the money she earned there, but they ask for information on all your income in order to determine the correct tax bracket. Then the program should prepare your NY tax forms as a full-year resident, and again will report your total income. It will calculat youtr tax on that total income, then subtract a credit against the amount owed for taxes paid to NJ.