Need help filing state taxes online only - no federal paperwork needed

Thanks for the quick response! I'm trying to file for Colorado after moving from Texas mid-year. I tried looking at Colorado's filing portal but got overwhelmed with all the options and wasn't sure which forms I needed. I'll look into TaxAct and H&R Block based on your recommendation. Do I need any specific documents beyond my W-2 and my federal return when filing state-only? And roughly how much should I expect to pay for state-only filing with one of those services?

For Colorado, you'll need your W-2 showing Colorado withholding, your federal return (mainly for the AGI figure), and documentation for any mid-year move details since you split residence between states. Colorado's form 104 is their main individual income tax return. TaxAct and H&R Block typically charge between $25-40 for state-only filing. Colorado also partners with a few services through their website that might be cheaper. You can check out Colorado's official options at colorado.gov/revenueonline - look for "Individual Income Tax" section. Since Texas has no state income tax, you don't need to worry about filing there, which simplifies things a bit.

How does this even work? So you upload your federal return and it just pulls the info from there? What about security concerns with uploading your tax docs to some random website?

Does it work for all states? I'm in California and need to file state only since my accountant did federal but charges too much for state filing.

It uses OCR and AI to extract the relevant information from your federal return, which is then used to populate your state tax forms. All the security concerns are addressed with bank-level encryption and their privacy policy states they don't store your documents after processing is complete. It works for all states that collect income tax, including California. The interface adjusts based on which state you select, showing only the forms and questions relevant to your situation. I found it much more straightforward than trying to navigate the state websites directly, which often feel like they were designed in the 1990s.

Does this actually work? I've been trying to reach my state tax department for two weeks and always get disconnected after 30+ minutes on hold. Seems too good to be true that some service could magically get through when nobody else can.

I've found that just calling right when they open in the morning usually works. Why pay for something you can do yourself with a little patience? These services prey on people's frustration.

It definitely works! The service uses advanced call technology to navigate phone trees and constantly redial until they get through. Then they call you when an actual human answers. It's not magic - just smart technology that saves you from wasting your own time. Calling right when offices open can sometimes work, but many tax departments are severely understaffed, especially during filing season. Even calling at opening time often means joining a queue of hundreds of other people who had the same idea. I tried the "call early" approach for three days before giving up and trying Claimyr.

I did try looking at Colorado's site but got lost in all the options. There seems to be a direct file system but it wasn't clear which forms I needed since I already filed federal. Do you know if these state systems typically require you to enter all your info again from scratch or can they import data from your federal return somehow?

Most state systems don't import directly from your federal return, unfortunately. You'll need to manually enter the relevant information again. The key things you'll need from your federal return are your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income), any federal tax paid, and potentially some specific line items depending on Colorado's form. Colorado's system is actually better than most. Look specifically for their "Revenue Online" portal and create an account there. They have a guided interview process that asks questions to determine which forms you need rather than expecting you to know upfront. It takes about 30-45 minutes to complete if you have all your documents ready.

I used FreeTaxUSA for state-only last year! You actually have to go through their federal section first, but you don't submit it. Complete the federal portion (which is free anyway), get to the end where it shows your federal return, then look for the "File State Only" option. It'll be in the left sidebar or sometimes as a text link near the federal filing buttons. Their state filing fee was only about $15 when I used it, which was cheaper than most others. The interface is pretty straightforward too.