A New Year means TAXES SOON!!!!

[galactica]

As most of us who are in school and get financial aid know, January 1 is the time to start thinking about our financial aid tax info which basically says the sooner you do your taxes the sooner you can find out how much money you get for school

i have a quesion for any of you who may know more about US tax laws than I do obviously

I lived in two states for the duration of 2003.
50% of the time in one state
50% of the time in my current state

when i go to do my state returns do I jsut do my current state as if I have been here for all of 2003?

I ask because my tax softare wants me to buy my state tax portion of the app! But it says i have to specify a state before i can download it!

WHICH ONE DO I CHOOSE!
or do i have to do BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! and figure out how much i made while in one state and how much in the other.

[Tommyknocker]

I wouldn't get tax advice off this site, you'll end up in the joint! Anyway, I would go to a tax advisor to get the no-nonsense answer. When I was stateside, I had to file three tax forms: One federal, one for the state I was a resident of, and one for the state I was statoined in.

[galactica]

hahahah yea i just figured out of the thousands upon thousands of members one of us was a tax guy or use to be...

thanks
I can always read the irs website but man i fell asleep just tying in www.irs.gov

hahahaha

thanks
i think i know my answer
BOTH!

[Conquest10]

Yeah. Its both. You have to file for each state you earned income in.

[lordsmurf]

One word: TURBOTAX !

[stiltman]

One word: TURBOTAX !

LOL......LOL......LOL..............

[galactica]

thats the app that is asking me for my state to file in
nuts so i have to buy BOTH !

that sucks!

[energy80s]

At least in the UK we have PAYE (Pay As You Earn) so don't have to worry about tax returns.

[Conquest10]

At least in the UK we have PAYE (Pay As You Earn) so don't have to worry about tax returns.

We have the same thing. Taxes get deducted from our paycheck. Then in April (or every six months for some people) you have to file you taxes. If you paid too much, you get a refund. If you didn't pay enough, you have to pay.

[devinemi83]

I to agree the IRS site would be the best place to go, yeah its as boring reading all the tax rules, loopholes but their database of info is quite extensive(I used it alot when I did my own taxes for the first time last year). I think the IRS has a line to call as well in certain areas. Also is some areas some tax firms offer free classes as to how to do your own taxes. HR Block has them in my city and its open for anyone filing with incomes under like 25,000. And if you are a student, I doubt you make that much (no offense).

[ChrisX]

TAXES is what I don't want to think about and we are paying too much of it.

[VideoTechMan]

Ive used Turbotax last year and I really like it. The ability to file online and get your refund quicker by direct deposit is really nice compared to doing it the old fashioned way of mailing it in and waiting 1,000 weeks to get your refund..lol. Like you galatica I have lived in two states also in 2003 so I will have to file the state taxes for both. Federal can be done for both on one return. I hope to get a refund this year so that way I can get the down payment to get myself a newer car.

VTM

[energy80s]

At least in the UK we have PAYE (Pay As You Earn) so don't have to worry about tax returns.

We have the same thing. Taxes get deducted from our paycheck. Then in April (or every six months for some people) you have to file you taxes. If you paid too much, you get a refund. If you didn't pay enough, you have to pay.

That sounds way too complicated. If you are getting income tax deducted from your payslip, then why do you need to query it. Are employers stupid or trying to defraud everyone? In the UK, you are allowed to earn a certain amount tax free and then everything else is taxed at a fixed rate. Is the US different?

[ChrisX]

At least in the UK we have PAYE (Pay As You Earn) so don't have to worry about tax returns.

We have the same thing. Taxes get deducted from our paycheck. Then in April (or every six months for some people) you have to file you taxes. If you paid too much, you get a refund. If you didn't pay enough, you have to pay.

That sounds way too complicated. If you are getting income tax deducted from your payslip, then why do you need to query it. Are employers stupid or trying to defraud everyone? In the UK, you are allowed to earn a certain amount tax free and then everything else is taxed at a fixed rate. Is the US different?

Australia's tax system is like that: PAYE (Pay As You Earn) and this suppose to help the annual tax returns each year. Not always as simple and trouble free. This really depends on what kind of income a person gets and this could mean more paperwork with complications.

A person may have to file and pay taxes each 3 months. This is more work and paying out too much to the tax office. When this happens and refund check is done every year to compensate the overpayment without interest.

Australia's GST isn't simple at all and far more complicated than the old tax system before 1st July 2000.

There is more paperwork for businesses, the self employed and for retailers collecting the GST in sales and services. The GST is worse as far as can see and generally the consumer is paying out more taxes than ever now.

We are no better off today as far as taxes goes on here.

[galactica]

In case anyone cares...
the answer is BOTH.

apparently I have to divide my income up based on the states I lived in during the time of the income and file with that state for State/Local taxes.

blah! thats another 30$ from intuit for a 2nd state form...

hahahah i think ill do it the old fashioned paper method way

[Conquest10]

In case anyone cares...
the answer is BOTH.

Yeah. That's what I said.