Generally, you’re a resident of a state if you don’t intend to be there temporarily. It’s where home is—where you come back to after being away on vacation, business trip, or school. Think of it as your permanent home (for now), but don’t confuse “permanent” with “forever.” Nothing is forever.

What defines being a resident of a state?

Generally you are considered a resident if your domicile is that state, or (if your domicile is another state) you maintained a permanent place of abode in that state and spent more than 184 days there during the year. Most state tax authorities have a page explaining what exactly constitutes a resident in their state.

Can a wife be a resident of another state?

Basically, there is nothing that would require your wife to get a different license. In fact, if you live in Texas for longer than 90 days, the state requires you to get a license. The link lists the documents that you must bring with you to get a license… You can be residents of different states.

How do you know if you are a resident of one state?

Each state has its own residency laws to determine if you are a resident. You will have to file a tax return in the state you are a resident and the state where you earn income. You could end up with multiple state income tax returns…

What happens if you are married but live in different states?

Because you are residents of different states, you should file as ‘married filing separately’ for the states, even though you filed a joint federal return. Each state return would include only the income and tax items for the resident spouse. To do this in Turbo Tax, see this FAQ:

When does a state consider you a full year resident?

A state with a 183-day residency rule, for example, will consider you a full-year resident for tax purposes if you spent more than half the year there. Suppose your domicile is in California, but …