California Income Tax

California Income Tax Online Filing

You may not have known it, but California has one of the highest state income tax rates in the United States. This said, if you are a certified resident of the State of California, you must file a California income tax return. The California form 540 looks very much like the Federal 1040, however, there are some significant differences, and you will have to know what they are in order to comply with California state income tax regulations.

Online tax filing can be a real help to persons who live in California or any other state that has an income tax. For one thing, you can save a lot of time by having an online tax filing resource compare the information from your Federal tax form to what you need for your state form. As with Federal tax laws, state tax laws change virtually every year, and having the advantage the guarantee of accuracy you will get from an online company can be a real lifesaver.

California Income Tax Requirements

If you are a resident of California and you owe $1 or more of tax and either your gross income or adjusted gross income is more than the amount shown in the Nonresident California Tax Booklet for your filing status, age, and number of dependents, you must file a California return form. If you are not required to file the form but have had taxes withheld from your pay, you should file the form in order to get a refund.

If you are not sure whether you need to file a California State income tax form, you can check with the same online tax filing vendor with whom you complete your Federal return. They will be able to advise you as to whether you meet the criteria that require you to file. As with your Federal refund, your state refund usually comes much faster when you file online.