If you earned money in the tax year you are completing a tax return for, you also may need to complete a State Tax return as well.
State tax returns have the same deadline as federal returns, and are due on April 15 each year.
The Sprintax program will assist you in creating state tax returns, but please note this service has an additional charge that is not covered by the code provided by the ISSS Office. The code only covers the expense of federal tax preparation.
Maryland State Tax Return
A Maryland state tax return is only required if you earned money in the state of Maryland in the tax year.
For tax year 2019, you would need to file a Maryland State tax return if you earned at least $12,200. This number can be checked here. Much like the federal tax return, you can choose not to file if you made less than this amount in the tax year you are filing a refund for, but you would forfeit any refund you might be due.
If you physically lived in Maryland in the tax year, you would file your Maryland state tax return as a “resident.” Please note this is different than the federal “resident” for tax purposes, and has nothing to do with your immigration status!
If you are filing a Maryland state tax return as a resident, you can file online or through paper forms.
You will need your income documents (W-2, 1099, etc) to complete your state tax return, and will complete the questions or forms using those documents. Many students find it helpful to complete their federal documents first, then the state documents, as the federal documents once completed can be helpful.
Please read the directions carefully, as you will need to attach the “state” copy of your tax documents, such as your W-2 or 1099, to your state tax return.
If you did not earn money in Maryland in the tax year, you do NOT have to file any forms at all.
For general information about filing state taxes in Maryland, click here.
State Tax Returns for States outside of Maryland
Many students will work outside of Maryland in either CPT or OPT each year. If this is your case, you will need to investigate if you need to complete a state tax return for the state where you worked. Your employer may be able to give you more information about this.