How to Add Multiple States to Your TurboTax Return for 2025

Adding multiple states in TurboTax is actually pretty straightforward! When you get to the state section of your return, you'll see an option to "Add a State" after completing your first state. You just need to click that and follow the prompts to add your additional states. Since you worked in all three states, you'll likely need to file as a part-year resident in each one. TurboTax will ask you about your residency status and dates for each state, so have that information ready. The software will guide you through allocating your income to each state based on where it was earned. Yes, there is typically an additional fee for each state return beyond your first one. The exact cost depends on which TurboTax version you're using (Deluxe, Premier, etc.).

I was in the exact same boat last year with multiple state returns and found taxr.ai really helpful with my complex situation. I uploaded my W-2s from my different jobs (had one from each state) and it helped me understand exactly which income was taxable where and how the state credits worked. The tool at https://taxr.ai analyzed my documents and showed me that I was actually overpaying on one state's taxes because of credit for taxes paid to other states. Saved me from a headache and probably some money too.

Ok I need to apologize to @3 because I tried taxr.ai for my multi-state mess and it actually worked really well. I uploaded my W-2s from the three states I worked in and it gave me this super clear breakdown of which income gets reported where. It even pointed out that my employer had withheld for the wrong state for part of the year (which I suspected but wasn't sure about). Saved me from filing incorrectly AND found a state credit I was eligible for. Used the guidance with TurboTax and finally got everything sorted out!

Anyone trying to reach the IRS about multi-state filing questions knows it's basically impossible this time of year. I spent 3 days trying to get clarification on my specific situation and kept getting disconnected. Then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual IRS agent in less than 45 minutes. You can check it out at https://claimyr.com or see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent walked me through exactly how to handle my specific multi-state situation and which forms I needed. Was honestly shocked it worked after so many failed attempts.

I have to eat my words. After ranting about Claimyr being a scam I decided to try it myself just to prove it wouldn't work. Well...I got connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes. The agent walked me through how to properly allocate my income across different states and explained which tax credits apply to prevent double taxation. Turns out I was doing it completely wrong in TurboTax and would have owed penalties. Can't believe I'm saying this, but it was totally worth it just for the peace of mind on my complicated multi-state situation.

Don't forget about state-to-state tax credits! When you file in multiple states, you typically get a credit in your resident state for taxes paid to non-resident states. This prevents double taxation on the same income. Each state handles this differently, so make sure TurboTax is calculating this correctly. When I did my multi-state return last year, I had to manually review this section because the software initially missed one of my credits.

Does anyone know if you need the more expensive TurboTax versions to handle multiple states? I was using the Free Edition but now I'm worried it won't support my situation with two states.

Great advice from everyone here! I just want to add one more tip that saved me a lot of headache with my multi-state filing - make sure to keep detailed records of which state you were physically working in for each pay period. I moved from Texas to Colorado mid-year and thought I had everything figured out, but it turned out some of my remote work days while technically employed by my Colorado company were done while I was still physically in Texas. This affected how the income was allocated between states. TurboTax will ask you specific questions about work location and dates, so having a calendar or log of where you actually performed the work (not just where your employer is located) can be really helpful. Also, don't forget about any state-specific deductions you might qualify for - each state I filed in had different rules about what could be deducted!