MFJ but live in two different states - MA and OH

[Wendy]

Catherine - and any other MA preparers - can you offer advice please. I'm having a mental block on this. Married couple - legally separated but filing MFJ. He has lived in MA and worked in MA all year. Her residence is in OH and all her income is OH. OH has checkboxes for each spouse for resident/non resident so no problem there. File non-resident MA with only his income taxable even though he is a resident? File him as Single in MA as resident? Why do they do these things....

Thanx

Wendy

[Catherine]

Hi Wendy --

I have something similar -- couple where he lives/works in MA and she lives/works in CT. Every year I do the comparison MFJ/MFS for the two states, and every year it comes out better overall for them to file MFJ, resident MA/nonresident CT.

MA gives a (partial) credit for taxes paid to another jurisdiction on Schedule Z, I think it is. (At any rate, Schedules X, Y, and Z are all one form.) Post again or PM me if you need help with that credit schedule.

Catherine

[Wendy]

Thank you for the confirmation. I've done Sch Z for other state credit (such as it is), and have done part year & non resident. But this is the first I've had two different states like this, and was doubting myself about filing status.

[Catherine]

For MA you can use whatever status works out best for the client. Not tied to federal. Always good to check, though, as some states are tied. A number of years ago I had a young couple who got married after being in grad school and working and having domicile all over the map. One federal and five state returns, some MFJ some MFS. Figuring out the overall least tax burden on that one had my head spinning in circles!