Select a state to determine what to file when a taxpayer and spouse file a married filing joint federal return, but have a different state residency status.
Alabama
You can't file a joint return if 1 spouse is a resident of AL and the other spouse is a resident of another state; you'll need to file married filing separately for Alabama.
You can file a separate Alabama return if only 1 spouse had income.
Arizona
Attach a
nonresident
return when both spouses are nonresidents for the entire year or when 1 spouse is a resident of AZ and the other spouse is a nonresident.
Attach a
part-year
return when both spouses are part-year residents or when 1 spouse is an AZ resident and the other is a part-year resident of Arizona.
The filing status can be different from the federal return.
If the federal return is joint and the AZ return is MFS, you must paper file the AZ return.
Arkansas
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident of Arkansas for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
If the federal return is MFJ and only 1 spouse is a resident of Arkansas, use the Filing Status Optimization tool to calculate the return for the resident spouse. Arkansas has a filing status 5, Married Filing Separate on Different Returns, for these types of returns.
If itemizing deductions for Arkansas filing status 5, the deductions should be entered on Screen AR3, in the Income & Adjustments folder.
California
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident of California for only part of the year, or whenever the residency status of CA is not the same for both the taxpayer and the spouse. (that is, the taxpayer was a CA resident and the spouse was a nonresident).
The filing status can only be different from the federal if you are filing a California Registered Domestic Partner return, 1 spouse is an active member of the armed forces, or 1 spouse is a CA nonresident and had no CA source income.
Colorado
File the Colorado return using the same status as the federal return.
If filing a joint return and the taxpayer and spouse have a different residency status, select part-year resident or nonresident from
File
tab to select default behavior. The residency status can then be selected for each spouse on the COPYNR screen in the Income & Adjustments folder.
Connecticut
If filing a federal joint return and the Connecticut residency status is different for the taxpayer and spouse, you must file a separate return unless:
If 1 spouse is a resident and the other is a nonresident, you can file a joint return if you elect to be treated as if you were both full-year Connecticut residents.
Attach a part-year return only if both spouses are residents for part of the year with the same period of residency. If the period of residency is different, a separate return is required.
If the taxpayer and spouse are both full-year nonresidents but only 1 spouse has CT source income, only that spouse with CT income is required to file a separate CT nonresident return.
Delaware
Spouses that filed a joint federal return and have different residency periods in Delaware can elect to file a joint, separate, or combined separate Delaware return.
If you file a joint Delaware return, you are electing to be treated as if you have the same Delaware residency.
If the federal return is married filing separate, the Delaware return must use the same filing status.
District of Columbia (Washington DC)
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year and the other spouse was a full-year nonresident, or when 1 spouse is a full-year resident and the other is a nonresident. The nonresident spouse should not have DC sourced income, otherwise DC tax is calculated.
Per instructions, the filing status used is the one that generates the lowest tax and indicates that, generally, a return will use the same filing status as the federal return.
DC lets a married combined filing separately on the same return status. If the federal return was married filing joint status, UltraTax CS automatically optimizes the 2 and selects the filing status that yields the lowest tax.
Note that UltraTax/1040-DC doesn’t optimize for all filing statuses; only married filing joint and married combined filing separately on the same return. Use the Filing Status Optimization for any other filing statuses.
Georgia
Generally, you should use the same filing status that is used on the federal return.
If you are filing a joint federal return and 1 spouse is a full-year nonresident with no Georgia-source income, you may file a separate return claiming yourself only, or a joint return claiming total allowable deductions.
If 1 spouse is a resident and one is a part-year or nonresident, use the Nonresident or Part-year Resident status in
File
and complete Schedule 3 on Screen NRPY, in the Income & Adjustments folder, to calculate Georgia taxable income.
Hawaii
Generally, you must file a resident return (Form N-11) if you were a resident for the full year or, if married filed jointly, either spouse was a resident for the full year.
If 1 spouse was a resident and the other was a part-year or nonresident, you can still file a joint Hawaii resident return. However, the nonresident spouse would be taxed on their worldwide income for the full year.
The nonresident spouse may opt to file a nonresident/part-year return (Form N-15) with a married filing separate status.
Generally, you must file Form N-15 as a nonresident if both spouses were nonresidents for the full year, or as a part-year resident if either spouse was taking or giving up residence in Hawaii.
You may file a joint return if 1 spouse is a part-year resident and the other is a part-year or nonresident. However, both will be taxed on the combined worldwide income for the period of Hawaii residence.
You may opt to file a married filing separate return that reflects each spouses residency status.
Idaho
Attach a part-year resident return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, or when 1 spouse was a resident and the other a nonresident.
There are additional filing statuses for military resident and military nonresident.
The filing status for Idaho must be the same as the federal return.
Indiana
If either spouse lived in Indiana at any point during the year, file Form IT-40PNR and designate it as part-year.
You can still file a married filing joint return if the residency in Indiana is different for the taxpayer and spouse.
Kansas
If 1 spouse is a resident or part-year resident of Kansas and the other is a nonresident, a nonresident return is to be filed.
The Kansas filing status must be the same as the federal filing status (except when filing as Qualifying Widow with a dependent child, HOH is filed for Kansas).
Louisiana
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
The filing status must be the same as the federal.
If the taxpayer is married and 1 spouse is not a resident of Louisiana, you have the option of filing a resident or nonresident return. Choose the option that is most beneficial.
Maryland
Attach a resident return if 1 spouse is a resident all year and the other is a military nonresident all year.
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year.
Generally, if you filed a joint federal return, you must file a joint MD return. You may file a separate return when 1 spouse is a resident of Maryland and the other is a nonresident.
Couples who have different tax periods or were domiciled in different states (also in different counties, cities, towns, or taxing areas of MD) on the last day of the tax year may file as married filing separate. See instructions 8 and 19 in the resident tax booklet.
If you moved into or out of Maryland during the tax year and received income from MD sources while a nonresident of Maryland, you must both a nonresident return and a resident return.
You'll need to create 2 separate UltraTax clients for this purpose. Use
File
Save As
to clone the client. Only the Maryland source income that applies to the period as a nonresident should be taxable.
Massachusetts
If residencies differ, the taxpayer and spouse must file as married filing separate. Use Form 1 (resident) or Form 1-NR/PY as needed for each spouse.
Michigan
If the return is MFJ:
Select Part-year or nonresident in the Michigan tab on Client Properties.
On the MINRPY screen in the Income and Adjustments folder, complete the fields in the General Information section. What you enter here will appropriately complete the Residency status on Schedule NR.
If the return is MFS and the non-resident spouse has Michigan income, the taxpayer will file the Schedule NR. However, an MFS spouse with no Michigan income doesn’t have a filing requirement.
Mississippi
The Mississippi filing status must agree with the federal filing status.
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
When 1 spouse is a full-time Mississippi resident and the other spouse is either a part-year or nonresident, you must file a nonresident Form 80-205.
The resident spouse will report income from all sources for the entire year and the nonresident spouse will only report income earned in Mississippi.
Missouri
The Missouri filing status must be the same as the federal filing status with 2 exceptions:
If you are claimed as a dependent on another person's return, there is a special checkbox on Form MO-1040.
If you are filing married filing separately and the spouse is not filing or required to file, there is also a special checkbox on Form MO-1040.
Only 1 Missouri return is filed whether it is a resident, part-year or nonresident.
Montana
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year.
The filing status can only be different from the federal if married filing joint individuals benefit from filing separately.
You may elect to file separately on the same form (a Montana filing status that can be elected on Screen MTGen), in which case a single residency must be selected; or
You may file separately by using the Filing Status Optimization to split the return and select different residencies.
Nebraska
Attach a resident return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
The filing status can only be different from the federal if 1 spouse is a Nebraska resident and the other spouse is a part-year or nonresident. You can elect to file jointly and both are taxed as residents, or you can use the Filing Status Optimization to file separate returns.
New Hampshire
Only attach a part-year return if both spouses are residents for part of the year.
Nonresidents don’t file the Interest and Dividends return.
New York
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
The filing status can only be different from the federal if 1 spouse is a full-year resident and the other is a part-year or nonresident, both with New York income.
Use the Filing Status Optimization to file 2 separate returns, each reflecting the proper residency for each spouse.
North Dakota
File a North Dakota return using the same status as the federal return.
If filing a joint return and the taxpayer and spouse have different residency status, select part-year resident or nonresident from File, Client Properties, then North Dakota tab to choose default behavior. The residency statuses can then be selected for each spouse on Screen NDNRPY in the Income and Adjustments folder.
The main return, Form ND-1, accompanied by the Schedule ND-1NR, is used.
Ohio
Attach a part-year return when both spouses were residents for only part of the year, or for any split residency statuses. Use Screen OHPYNR in the Income & Adjustments folder to indicate split residency.
The filing status for Ohio must match the federal filing status, while qualifying widower and head of household are considered single.
Note that Ohio has a substantial marriage penalty. Use the Filing Status Optimization to take this into account.
If no federal return will be filed, the Ohio state return may be filed jointly or separately.
Ohio cities
By default, all city returns that are added are considered nonresident returns.
Enter a
Resident city code
on Screen OHCGen to change to a full-year resident return.
Complete the Part-year residency information on Screen OHCGen to change to a part-year resident return.
If the taxpayer and spouse have different residencies, use the Filing Status Optimization to split the return.
The filing status for Ohio cities is either joint or single. Generally this is the taxpayer's option while some cities require separate filings.
Ohio school district
You are a resident of a school district if you are a resident of Ohio,
and
your primary residence is in the school district.
By default, both spouses are marked as full-year residents. School districts don’t tax nonresidents.
Use the Part-year and Nonresident section of Screen OHSD to indicate part-year or nonresident status.
The school district filing status must match the federal filing status.
Oklahoma
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year, and the other spouse was not a full-year resident.
The OK filing status is generally the same as the federal filing status except for married taxpayers that file a joint federal return, and 1 spouse is a full-year OK resident (military or civilian) and the other is a full-year nonresident civilian.
A married filing a joint return may be filed using the Filing Status Optimization, where each spouse files a return matching their Oklahoma residency status; or
The couple may file a married filing joint Oklahoma resident return that includes all income of both spouses and claim a credit for tax paid to another state.
Oregon
Attach a nonresident return when at least 1 spouse is a nonresident all year (if filing jointly), or you meet the military personnel nonresident requirements.
Also attach a nonresident return for special-case Oregon residents (that is, Oregon residents not living in Oregon).
The Oregon filing status can only be different from the federal in the following scenarios:
Registered domestic partners
If spouses file a joint federal return and the taxpayer and spouse had a different residency status for Oregon, you may choose to file separately.
Pennsylvania
Attach a part-year resident return when either spouse was a resident of Pennsylvania for only part of the year.
Married filing joint filers on the federal return that have mixed residency status within Pennsylvania should file a married filing separate return using the Filing Status Optimization.
Vermont
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year.
The filing status must be the same as the federal return except when 1 spouse is a VT resident and the other is a nonresident with no Vermont income. In this scenario, the resident spouse may opt to file Married Filing Separate via Filing Status Optimization.
Virginia
Attach a part-year return when either spouse was a resident for only part of the year.
If 1 spouse is a full-year resident and one is a nonresident, the resident spouse must file a separate return. If the nonresident spouse has VA income, they must file a nonresident return. Military personnel and members of the U.S. Congress who are domiciliary residents of another state are considered nonresidents of the VA. This doesn’t apply to spouses of military personnel or members of Congress.
If 1 spouse is a full-year resident and the other is a part-year resident, use Form 760PY to either file jointly or married filing separate combined.