[maliaari]

Hi again ATE,

I worked in a company in NY for 3 months on OPT (then moved to CA). But like many other people I was living in an apartment in NJ for 2 months (1 month in friends home).

All my income was from my company in NY.

Should I file for only NY state or for NJ state as well?

Thanks for advice,

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

Maliaari:

Was any income tax withheld for the state of NJ? If so, you should file to get that income tax back. If no NJ income tax was withheld, you really do not have to file a NJ tax return if you do not want to, because no taxes will be due (see reason why below).

For sure, NY state income tax was withheld, so you need to file a NY state income tax return. Since NY state income tax rates are higher than NJ and since NJ gives you a credit for taxes paid to NY, the NY tax is normally high enough to completely offset any NJ taxes.

Hence, if you are filing a NJ return because NJ taxes were withheld, then all of the withheld NJ taxes should be refunded to you.

[maliaari]

Thanks ATE,

No, I do not have eny earnings or tax withheld from NJ. I only have 1 W2 from my company in NY. So, what I get is, I will have to file for only NY state.

I have another question:

I have got an 1099-G from PA ($250), since I was in PA in 2004 and before. I had moved to NJ/NY right on 1st, Jan 2005.

1- Do I have to file anything for PA. Other than this 1099-G, I don't have any income from PA.

2 - How should I report this $250 in my 1040(federal) and CA(540NR) and NY(IT-NR) returns!

Thanks for all your helps in this forum ATE.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

Maliaari:

1) No PA return is required (the amount of money is too small).

2) The 1099-G is likely a report of a state income tax refund you received in 2005 for a 2004 PA state tax return you filed. Unless you itemized on Schedule A in your 2004 tax return, you do not have to report this income on any 2005 tax return.

[maliaari]

Thanks ATE for responses,

I just got a 1099-INT from CA ($60).

1 - How should I report this $60 (1099-INT) in my 1040(federal) and CA(540NR) and NY(IT-NR) returns!

2 - Also, should I simply add incomes & taxes from two W2's (& maybe 1099s) to get total incom & taxes for federal. For NY & CA states, I guess I only need to consider each W2 income and tax individually and separate. Please advise.

Thanks for all your help.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

1) Rpeort it on line 8a on Form 1040. You only need to report the income on the California Form CA(540), Line 8.

2) Add the W-2s for the federal return. Use the individual W-2 for each state.