Welcome back! Ask questions, get answers, and join our large community of tax professionals.
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Determining Residency

LL2
Level 3

Client has a driver's license in CT but is residing in PA while attending graduate school. Where should he file state tax return and what is his status in PA (resident, non-resident)?

0 Cheers

This discussion has been locked. No new contributions can be made. You may start a new discussion here

1 Best Answer

Accepted Solutions
itonewbie
Level 15

Driver's license does not establish domicile or statutory residence.  It is only one of the facts that would be considered in a whole list of factors that would be weighed in to make the determination for domicile.

Having said that, your client would, prima facie, be deemed a statutory resident of PA by virtue of physical presence, regardless of his domicile, according to the statutory definition under 61 Pa. Code §101.1 and on the basis the exception for full-time students should no longer apply to him.

Resident individual - An individual

  • who is domiciled in this Commonwealth unless he maintains no permanent place of abode in this Commonwealth and does maintain a permanent place of abode elsewhere and spends in the aggregate not more than 30 days of the taxable year in this Commonwealth;
  • who is not domiciled in this Commonwealth but maintains a permanant place of abode in this Commonwealth and spends in the aggregate more than 183 days of the taxable year in this Commonwealth. An individual may be a resident of this Commonwealth and taxable as a resident even though he would not be deemed a resident for other purposes.

It is possible that, at the same time, he is a domicile of CT.  Or he may have terminated domicile in CT previously when he relocated to China or with his move to PA.  You will need to review his facts and circumstances to make that determination.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still an AllStar

View solution in original post

9 Comments 9
sjrcpa
Level 15

Married? Single? Dependent of someone?

Living in a dorm? Graduate housing? House or apt?

Will he return to CT?

PA has a fact sheet/bulletin on residency of a student - or did a few years ago. Check their website.

The more I know, the more I don't know.
LL2
Level 3

Married filing separately. 

Living in an apartment.

Yes, he will return to CT.

Currently, I cannot access the PA website due to some restrictions so I really appreciate the feedback I can get here.

Thank you.

0 Cheers
BobKamman
Level 15

Did he have any income?  Where?

LL2
Level 3

Yes. He had income in China from Jan to Mar 2019.

0 Cheers
itonewbie
Level 15

OK.  Is he a US citizen/green card holder, a foreign national on employment visa, or a foreign national on F/J/Q visa?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still an AllStar
LL2
Level 3

He is a US citizen and was working in China but decided to go back to the US in March of 2019 and is currently a graduate student in PA but his driver's license is still registered in CT. Should he file a state tax return as a PA resident?

0 Cheers
itonewbie
Level 15

Driver's license does not establish domicile or statutory residence.  It is only one of the facts that would be considered in a whole list of factors that would be weighed in to make the determination for domicile.

Having said that, your client would, prima facie, be deemed a statutory resident of PA by virtue of physical presence, regardless of his domicile, according to the statutory definition under 61 Pa. Code §101.1 and on the basis the exception for full-time students should no longer apply to him.

Resident individual - An individual

  • who is domiciled in this Commonwealth unless he maintains no permanent place of abode in this Commonwealth and does maintain a permanent place of abode elsewhere and spends in the aggregate not more than 30 days of the taxable year in this Commonwealth;
  • who is not domiciled in this Commonwealth but maintains a permanant place of abode in this Commonwealth and spends in the aggregate more than 183 days of the taxable year in this Commonwealth. An individual may be a resident of this Commonwealth and taxable as a resident even though he would not be deemed a resident for other purposes.

It is possible that, at the same time, he is a domicile of CT.  Or he may have terminated domicile in CT previously when he relocated to China or with his move to PA.  You will need to review his facts and circumstances to make that determination.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still an AllStar
LL2
Level 3

I appreciate the information provided.

Thank you very much.

0 Cheers
itonewbie
Level 15

NP, @LL2!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still an AllStar
0 Cheers