[runyogi]

I make usually around $7,000-8,000 a yr part time (student) and last yr made about $12,000 here in GA. I have filed an EZ every year and get my refund every year, but people keep talking about their state refunds and I thought that it was all one, since you report all of your W-2 info on the EZ, now I am panicked that I owe the state for the past 5 years or something! Please help!! :eek:

[ebaines]

Don't panic - at least not yet! First, take a look at your W-2 and you should be able to verify that your employer has been withholding GA state income tax, right? You should in fact be filing an income tax form with GA if you make at least $5000. In years when your income was $8K your GA income tax bill wais probably around $135 for the whole year - so if in previous years your employer has withheld more than that you have been over-paying all these years and have missed out on the opportunity to get a refund. But if not enough has ben withheld, then GA may come after you to collect what you owe. As for 2008 - you should complete the GA state income tax forms. Based on $12K income and a single $3K exemption, your tax bill would be about $350. So again, check your W-2 and see how much you have already paid through withholding.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

RunYogi:

I agree with ebaines; it is more than likely that you had a refund coming in years past, in which case the state of Georgia does not really care if you file.

I had a client who neglected to file his state returns for 17 years! The Georgia Department of Revenue only noticed when he did an IRA withdrawal, had no GA state income taxes withheld, and their computer spit out his file as owing money. They only made me go back 8 years in total to make up for the failed filings.