State taxation question

[Anonymous]

DC goes to college in the mid-west and had two jobs while in college.
- One a remote internship in another state for which the work was performed from his college apartment and from his residence (VA) when DC is home for the summer/holidays.
- The second is as a TA, employed by the college (state school).

The first job sent him a W-2 deducting taxes for VA. The second job sent him a W-2 deducting taxes based on his college apartment address. None of the three states have any reciprocal arrangements.

Question: When filing taxes (not done yet), should we just go with whatever the W-2s say and file them or do we include the VA income with the other state and the other state's income with VA and offset with taxes deducted by each state?

[Anonymous]

I'm assuming you're a VA resident? I'd file a VA state and then also a non-resident return for the state that withheld taxes. It will offset each other, meaning it won't double tax you. It will have you report the total income and then usually calculates the percentage belonging to each state. If you use turbotax or a similar program, it should handle it easily.

[Anonymous]

Are students "part year residents" of the state with the school they attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are students "part year residents" of the state with the school they attend?

Generally no if they are still dependents on their parents' return and have an intent to return to their home state. But the guidelines aren't exactly the same in every state.

You would have to file a non-resident return saying your income should have been taxed in the home state, and asking for a refund of all taxes paid in the school state, and then report all the income in your home state. But still it gets complicated because even if a non-resident you may be liable for taxes earned in that state!

[Anonymous]

Generally the amounts kids earn at college are low enough to be below the requirement to pay state taxes, so he might consider filing as exempt for his college job and he won't have to file the nonresident return to get his withholding back.

[Anonymous]

File the Midwest return to get the withholding back (non resident). Next year fill out the forms to either withhold VA or not withhold. Then file VA.. probably for a refund too..unless he is a well page college student.