Can I file my taxes for two different states separately? Or must they be submitted together with my federal return?

So this year I worked in Colorado for the first half of 2024 and then relocated to Arizona in July for a new job opportunity. I already have all my tax documents from my Colorado employer (W-2, interest statements, etc.) but I'm still waiting on some documents from my current job in Arizona. I'd really like to go ahead and file my Colorado state taxes now since I have everything I need. The last time I moved between states, I filed both state returns at the same time along with my federal return through TurboTax. But I'm wondering if there's any problem with filing my Colorado return now and then waiting until I get all my Arizona documents to file both my Arizona state return and federal return in a few weeks? I'm mostly concerned about whether filing the states separately will cause any issues with my federal return or if there are problems I'm not anticipating. Don't want to mess anything up or trigger any red flags with the IRS. Has anyone done this before or know the proper procedure?

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18 comments

Jacob Lee

•8M

You can absolutely file your state returns separately from each other and from your federal return! Many people don't realize this is an option. The important thing to understand is that when you file your Colorado return now, you'll need to include the same information that will eventually go on your federal return - including your income from Arizona. Your state returns need to reflect your total income from all states, with credits for taxes paid to other states to avoid double taxation. When you get around to filing your federal and Arizona returns later, just make sure the information matches what you reported on your Colorado return. The numbers should reconcile across all returns.

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Jacob Lee

•8M

You're correct to be concerned about filing without all your documents. Yes, you need to include ALL your income on each state return, regardless of where it was earned. If you don't have your Arizona W-2 yet, it's actually better to wait until you have all your documents before filing any returns. You can still e-file your Colorado return separately through most tax software options. You'd complete your federal return (but not submit it yet), then complete and submit just the Colorado portion. When your Arizona documents arrive, you can go back in, verify the federal information is still correct, and then complete and submit both your federal and Arizona returns.

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Emily Thompson

•8M

After struggling with a similar situation last year (worked in Texas and Florida), I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me figure out the right way to handle multi-state tax filings. The tool analyzed my situation and explained exactly how to handle the timing of my state returns without causing problems. What I learned is that the safest approach is to prepare all returns together but you can submit them separately. Their system helps you make sure all the numbers are consistent across your returns, which was the part I found most confusing before.

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Emily Thompson

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It works alongside your regular tax software. The system analyzes your specific multi-state situation and gives you a detailed breakdown of how to approach it correctly. You still use your preferred tax software for the actual filing, but now you have clear guidance on how to handle the multi-state complexities. The accuracy was impressive for my situation. I had specific questions about Texas (no income tax) and Florida (also no income tax) but had income from both places. The system correctly identified that I only needed to worry about my federal return in that case, but also explained how it would work if one state had income tax. I was skeptical too, but my returns were accepted without any issues.

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Daniela Rossi

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Just wanted to follow up after trying taxr.ai for my multi-state tax situation. I was genuinely shocked at how helpful it was! After uploading my W-2s from both states, it immediately identified a mistake I was about to make with my part-year resident status that would have cost me about $840 in unnecessary state taxes. The documentation they provided explained exactly which forms I needed for each state and how to properly allocate my income. It even flagged that I qualified for a specific tax credit in my second state that I had no idea about. Definitely saved me more than it cost.

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Ryan Kim

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Elijah Brown

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I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway out of desperation to reach the NY tax department about my specific situation. It actually worked exactly as described - I got a call back in about 40 minutes and was connected to a real NY tax department representative who answered my multi-state filing questions. What impressed me most was that I didn't have to explain my whole situation again - I was connected directly to the right department. The agent confirmed that I could file my NY state taxes separately from my federal return, but warned me to make sure all income was reported consistently on both returns. This saved me from making a potential mistake that could have triggered an automatic review.

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Maria Gonzalez

•8M

Just to share my experience: I've filed taxes in multiple states for years due to my consulting work. Here's what I've learned the hard way: 1) You CAN file state returns separately from federal 2) You CAN file different state returns at different times 3) BUT the information on all returns MUST be consistent The mistake people make is reporting different total income figures on different returns. Each state return should reflect your TOTAL income from all sources, and then you allocate what portion was earned in each state. Same with deductions and credits.

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Maria Gonzalez

•8M

Yes, you would need to amend the first state return if you receive additional tax documents later. This is actually one of the main reasons I personally wait to file everything together, even though separate filing is allowed. If you receive an unexpected 1099 or K-1 after filing your first state return, that new income needs to be reported on both your federal return and all state returns. Filing an amendment is not difficult, but it does create extra work and potential confusion, especially if the additional income affects tax credits or deductions.

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