California Income Taxes and State Tax
California
"The Golden State"
Your California State Income Tax Return can be e-Filed with your IRS Income Tax Return. eFile.com makes it easy for you to prepare and e-file your IRS and/or California State Tax Return (e.g resident, nonresident, or part-year resident returns).
- California is the only state that allows you to prepare and eFile your CA state tax return if you already have e-Filed an IRS accepted tax return. Let's say you filed your IRS return on a different site and it got accepted by the IRS. Now, you wish to prepare and eFile your CA return. Start your return on eFile.com and answer all the tax questions. When you check out, you will e-File both of your returns, both IRS and California. However, your IRS return will be rejected due to the fact that you already have filed an IRS return; your CA return will be e-Filed and processed by CA. All other states do not enable this option. Contact us for a code so you don't have to pay for the IRS return, should your return not be free.
- The procedure is similar if you want to prepare your CA return on eFile.com but PRINT and MAIL it. For that, follow these state(s) ONLY tax preparation instructions. You can find California tax return mailing addresses here.
Below, find various tax topics related to California State Taxes, and actions to take for each.
California State Income Tax Rate: 12.3%
California Taxpayer Residency Status
Where Is Your California Tax Refund Money?
Where is Your IRS Refund?
California Income Tax Extension
California Income Tax Amendment
California, IRS Late Filing, Tax Payment Penalties
1. Late Filing Penalty: Applies if taxes are owed, no extension has been filed, and no tax return is eFiled after the six month extension period: 5% per month from April 18 until the return is filed or the maximum penalty of 25% has accrued.
2. Late Payment Penalty: Applies if taxes are owed, you filed your return by Oct. 16, but did not pay all of your taxes due by April 18: 5% per month
an 0.5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of the month it’s unpaid, not to exceed 40 months (monthly).
Contact the California Franchise Tax Board to
apply for a Reasonable Cause—Claim for Refund so they may waive the penalty. If you have explored all of your payment options (i.e. installment payment plan), filed all your required tax returns, and agreed with the tax amount you owe, you can
request and file an Offer in Compromise.
3. IRS Penalties: Calculate and Estimate your
potential IRS Income Tax Return Penalties.
California Income Tax Brackets
California Income Tax Forms
California Income Tax Code
California Unemployment Benefits
You do not need to pay state taxes on California unemployment income. It is only taxed at the federal level.
California Marriage Penalty
Start Federal and California Tax Returns
E-File These California State Tax Forms
Prepare and e-file these state forms along with your Federal and State Income Tax Return on eFile.com. As you proceed through the tax interview on eFile.com, the e-File application will select the correct state forms for you. You can also select tax forms individually. All these forms will then be e-filed by you to the state tax agency. Here are instructions on how to only prepare a state income tax return.
3561 - California Ca State Tax Folleto
540-ES - California Estimated Tax for Individuals
590-P - Nonresident Withholding Exemption Certificate for Previously Reported Income
CDTFA-403-CLW - California Use Tax Worksheet
DE 4 - Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate
FTB 3071 - Head of Household Information Request
FTB 3552 SP - Declaración Jurada Sobre el Robo de Identidad
FTB 705 - Innocent Joint Filer Relief Request
FTB 743 - Online Account View Access Authorization
FTB 909A - Record Layout for Data Transmitted to Cities City Business Tax Program – Data Exchange
FTB 914 - Taxpayer Advocate Assistance Request
Schedule X - California Explanation of Amended Return Changes
3506 - Child and Dependent Care Expenses Credit
3800 - Tax Computation for Certain Children with Unearned Income
540 - California Resident Income Tax Return
540NR - California Nonresident or Part-Year Resident Income Tax Return
592-B - Resident and Nonresident Withholding Tax Statement
593 - Real Estate Withholding Statement
CA Schedule S - Other State Tax Credit
FTB-3519, 3519 - California Income Tax Extension
Schedule 540 - CA Adjustments-Residents
Schedule P (540) - Alternative Minimum Tax and Credit Limitations — Residents
* Due to IRS and State Tax Agency tax data sharing and validation requirements, you can only e-file a State Income Tax Return while also e-filing a Federal Income Tax Return. This is not a policy created by eFile.com, rather, all online tax web sites are required to adhere to this IRS/state issued tax data sharing policy. You can, however, prepare all 44 State Income Tax Returns on eFile.com if you have already e-Filed or filed your IRS return, but you need to print your State Return from your eFile.com account, sign it, and mail it to the State Tax Agency. Instructions on how you can ONLY prepare and file State Income Tax Return(s). Only on eFile.com can you prepare, file or e-file unlimited State Tax Returns for one low price and not pay for each State return like you would do on H&R Block® and TurboTax®. Dare to Compare Now.
TurboTax® is a registered trademark of Intuit, Inc.
H&R Block® is a registered trademark of HRB Innovations, Inc.