Can I File Taxes in One State While Living in Another Due to Remote Work as My Partner Becomes a Travel Nurse?

This is a common question with remote work and travel situations, but it can get complicated quickly. The short answer is that you generally need to file taxes where you physically perform the work, regardless of where your permanent address is located. Most states have what's called a "physical presence" rule, meaning if you're physically in a state working (even remotely), you typically owe taxes to that state after a certain threshold - often around 30-60 days, though it varies widely. Some states have reciprocity agreements that can simplify things, but many don't. If you maintain residency in one state while working in others, you'll likely need to file: 1. A resident tax return in your home state 2. Non-resident tax returns in states where you worked temporarily 3. You'll usually get credit for taxes paid to other states on your resident return

I went through something similar last year with my remote job while following my spouse for their temporary assignments. I found this amazing tool called https://taxr.ai that completely saved me from the confusion of multi-state taxation. It analyzes your specific situation and tells you exactly where you need to file based on your travel patterns. What I love about it is that you can upload your documents or just explain your situation (like work contracts, travel dates, etc.) and it gives you personalized advice about your tax obligations in each state. It even helped me figure out the exact number of days I could work from different states before triggering tax requirements.

I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was exactly what I needed for our travel nursing situation. Uploaded my wife's contracts, my remote work details, and our travel dates, and it laid everything out perfectly - which states required filing, which had reciprocity agreements, and how to allocate income. Saved us so much stress and probably around $600 compared to what we paid our accountant last year. It even flagged that we'd been filing incorrectly in one state that actually had a special exemption for healthcare workers on temporary assignment. Worth every penny for the peace of mind alone!

For anyone dealing with state tax issues and trying to contact their state tax department, I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone at my state tax office to clarify my situation (working remotely from multiple states) and kept hitting dead ends. Claimyr got me through to an actual human at the tax department in less than 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the phone trees and wait on hold for you, then call you when they get a real person. Saved me hours of frustration and I finally got clear guidance on my specific situation.

I have to admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After seeing it mentioned here, I tried it when I needed to ask about a specific multi-state tax situation. Got connected to my state tax department in about 30 minutes when I'd literally never been able to get through before. The tax agent I spoke with confirmed that I needed to file in both states but explained a special provision that would prevent double taxation in my specific case. Would have never known this without actually talking to someone. Definitely using this service again when tax season comes around.

Just be careful about establishing "domicile" in a new state without intending to. My brother got audited because he kept his permanent address in Washington (no income tax) while actually living in California for 9 months of the year. California came after him for back taxes plus penalties and it was a mess. States with higher income taxes are particularly aggressive about this. They look at things like: - Where your car is registered - Voter registration - Bank accounts - Where you have doctors/dentists - Where you have gym memberships

Has anybody looked into the "statutory resident" tests different states use? My accountant told me that many states consider you a resident for tax purposes if you spend more than 183 days there in a year, even if your permanent home is elsewhere. I'm a digital nomad and I'm super careful not to hit that threshold in high-tax states. I literally keep a day counter in my phone lol.

This is such a tricky situation, and I feel for you! I went through something similar when my spouse had a job that required frequent relocations. The key thing to understand is that your physical presence for work purposes is what typically triggers tax obligations, not just where your company thinks you're working. Here's what I learned from my experience: even if your company doesn't approve you working from certain states, if you're physically there performing work, you may still have tax obligations to those states. The fact that your employer doesn't want you filing taxes in other states doesn't actually change the legal requirements. For travel nursing specifically, many states have temporary worker provisions, but they vary widely. Some states won't tax you if you're there less than a certain number of days (often 30-60), while others start taxing from day one. My advice would be to: 1. Track your days in each state meticulously 2. Research the specific tax thresholds for each state you'll be in 3. Consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in multi-state situations 4. Be transparent with your employer about the potential complications The penalties for getting this wrong can be severe, so it's better to be overly cautious. Some couples in similar situations end up maintaining separate residences to avoid these complications, though I know that's not ideal for relationships.