How can I free file my state tax when I've already submitted my federal return?

You're definitely not the first person to run into this problem! The good news is you have options for filing just your state return. First, check if your state participates in a state-only free file program. Many states have their own free filing portals separate from the federal programs. Just search "[your state] free file" and look for the official state tax authority website. If that's not available, you can try using FreeTaxUSA - they charge for federal returns, but many state returns are free or very low cost. Since you've already filed federal, you can just complete the state portion there. Another option is to go back to the original site where you filed your federal return. Some tax sites allow you to go back and add a state return later, though there might be a fee. Don't be intimidated by the state forms - they're usually simpler than they appear and pull a lot of information directly from your federal return!

After dealing with this exact problem last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it completely changed how I handle my state-only filings. I was stuck in the same situation - had filed federal but needed to do state separately without paying ridiculous fees or figuring out complicated forms. What I love about taxr.ai is that I could upload my completed federal return, and it extracted all the relevant information to automatically populate my state return forms. Saved me hours of trying to figure out which numbers went where. I think it's especially useful for people like us who split our filing between different services.

I have to admit I was pretty skeptical about taxr.ai when I first saw it mentioned here, but after struggling with my state return this year I decided to give it a try. The import feature was a HUGE timesaver - it pulled everything from my federal return and I just had to answer a few state-specific questions. What impressed me most was how it handled my state's weird property tax rebate program that I mentioned earlier. It walked me through the qualification questions and actually helped me claim a credit I would have missed otherwise. Ended up getting an extra $219 on my refund! The whole process took maybe 20 minutes compared to the 2+ hours I spent last year trying to figure it out on my own.

If you're having trouble reaching your state's tax department for help (I tried calling mine 8 times last week with no luck), you might want to check out Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They have a service that gets you through to a real human at government agencies including state tax departments. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c showing how it works. I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure out why my state return kept getting rejected after I had already filed federal separately. Called my state tax office for days with no answer. Used Claimyr and got through to someone in about 15 minutes who explained exactly what I needed to do to file just my state return. Apparently there was a specific form I needed for "standalone state filing" that wasn't mentioned anywhere on their website.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to get help with my state-only filing situation, so I tried it anyway. Not gonna lie, I was shocked when I got a call back connecting me to an actual human at my state tax department after trying for DAYS on my own. The tax agent I spoke with explained that when you've already filed federal elsewhere, you need to enter specific codes in certain fields of the state return to indicate it's a standalone filing. Had no idea this was a thing. She walked me through the whole process and I was able to submit my state return that same day. Would have never figured this out on my own or from the website. Seriously saved me a ton of stress and probably an incorrect filing.

If you're comfortable with basic tax concepts, I'd recommend just using your state's fillable PDF forms. I had the same issue last year and found that once I actually looked at the state forms, they weren't nearly as intimidating as I thought. Most of the numbers come straight from your federal return, and there are usually clear instructions. The state website should have free fillable PDFs you can type directly into, then print or e-file.

Hang on - have you checked if your state has income tax at all? Not all states do! Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming don't have state income tax, and New Hampshire only taxes investment income. If you're in one of those states, you don't need to file a state return at all!