Need help with taxes - earning money in another state as a student?

Thanks so much for the quick response! So I'll definitely need two state returns then? Is there an extra fee with TurboTax for filing multiple states? And how do I prove to Colorado that I paid Michigan taxes?

Yes, you'll need to file returns for both states. TurboTax does charge extra for each state filing beyond your first one - typically around $50 per additional state, but check their current pricing. You don't need to provide proof to Colorado about your Michigan taxes. The software will calculate a credit on your Colorado return based on the Michigan tax you're paying. It handles all the math automatically. On your Colorado return, there will be a specific line/schedule for "credit for taxes paid to another state" where this gets reported. The software will transfer all the necessary information between the two returns.

Did it actually explain the resident vs non-resident stuff clearly? That's what I'm struggling with most. I'm a student in Florida but worked in Georgia over summer break and I'm so confused about my "tax home" situation.

I'm skeptical of these tax tools. How is this different from what TurboTax already does? Does it actually file for you or just give advice? And does it handle international students? I'm from Canada studying in the US and worked in both places.

It explained everything super clearly with specific examples. They have this feature where they break down exactly what makes you a resident vs non-resident in different states, including special rules for students. Really helped me understand my "tax home" situation. For international students, they definitely cover that too! My roommate is from Korea and used it. It helps you understand your filing requirements based on tax treaties and visa status. Unlike TurboTax, it's more focused on analyzing your specific situation and documents first, then giving personalized guidance before you even start filing. It doesn't file for you, but it tells you exactly what forms you need and how to approach them.

This seems sketchy. Why would I pay someone else to wait on hold when I can just do it myself? And how do they even get through faster than a regular person would? Sounds like a scam to make money off desperate people.

It worked shockingly well for me! They don't get through any faster than you would, but they do the waiting instead of you. In my case, it took about 45 minutes before I got the call that they had a human on the line. But I was able to go about my day instead of being stuck listening to hold music. They don't have any special access - they're literally just professional hold-waiters. They call the same number you would, wait through the same queue, and then call you when a human answers. I was skeptical too, but when you consider how much your time is worth, it made sense for me rather than burning my whole afternoon on hold.

Wait this actually works? I've spent literally HOURS on hold with the IRS trying to figure out my tax situation. How long did it take for them to get someone on the line for you?

This seems sketchy. Why would I pay someone else to wait on hold when I can just do it myself? And how do they even get through faster than a regular person woul

Really? I didn't know about student provisions. How would I find out if Colorado has anything like that? And the 183 day thing sounds complicated - do I literally need to count days?

Check the Colorado Department of Revenue website - they should have a section on determining residency status with specific info for students. Usually it's in their tax booklet or taxpayer guide. For the 183 day rule, you don't usually need to track every single day unless it's very close. Just be able to reasonably document where you spent most of your time. Most students clearly spend more than 183 days in their school state during a normal academic year, so it's often pretty straightforward. But if you took a semester off or did a lot of traveling, it might be worth documenting more carefully.

Great question! Scholarships are treated differently than earned income. If your scholarship is tax-free (used for qualified education expenses like tuition and required books), it's not reported as income on any state return. If part of your scholarship is taxable (used for room and board, for example), it's generally considered income in your state of residency, not the state that provided the scholarship. So in your case, if you're a Pennsylvania resident for tax purposes (which most full-time students are for their school state), any taxable portion of your scholarship would be reported on your PA return, even though the scholarship came from Ohio.

Omg that sounds like a nightmare! Have you figured out how to handle it? I'm stressed just about my two states!

It's been... a process lol. I ended up paying for a consultation with an accountant who specializes in multi-state issues. Definitely worth the $150 for the peace of mind. He said I need to file: - Resident return for Massachusetts (my tax home as a student) - Non-resident returns for California and New York - And the freelance income gets reported on all three (but with credits to avoid triple taxation) The European travel didn't matter tax-wise since I wasn't there long enough to trigger any foreign filing requirements. My advice: if you have more than 2 states, just pay a professional. The stress reduction is worth it!