With personal income tax representing 61% of California’s total general fund revenue sources, it is no surprise that the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) in the last few years has become more aggressive in its enforcement and interpretation of California residency law, using California residency audits to do so.

What is California Residency Audit?

According to California’s residency laws, residents must pay state tax on their worldwide income, no matter the source (or country) of the income. Meanwhile, part-year residents are only required to pay taxes on income received while a resident of the state.

Therefore, a person’s “residence” under California law is the key to understanding their state income tax liability. For this reason, the FTB conducts residency audits that will determine a person’s residency.

If you have been contacted by the FTB about your residency status or slapped with hefty taxes, contact us today for a free consultation. Simply fill out the contact form on the right to talk to us.

The 3 Types of “Residency” According to California Residence Law

When the FTB conducts a residency audit, the outcomes are generally broken down into three different categories. These are resident, nonresident, or part-year resident. The audit is simply meant to help determine which category taxpayers fall into.

Let’s quickly examine each of those categories plus the tax implications you can expect from California Residency Audits:

1. Resident: A taxpayer may be found to be a resident of California, in which case they are taxed on income from all sources, including income from sources outside of California.
2. Nonresident: A taxpayer may be found to be a nonresident of California, in which case, they are taxed only on income from California sources.
3. Part-year resident: Finally, a taxpayer may be found to be a part-year resident, and taxed on all income received while a resident and only from California sources while a nonresident.

According to California residency law,the legal standard for residency is defined as an individual who is in the state for anything else other than a temporary or transitory purpose or domiciled in California but physically outside the state for a temporary or transitory purpose.

While the above definition might seem very straightforward, in reality the law is broadly written and leaves room for interpretation. As a result, if the FTB says you are a state resident, the burden now lies with you to prove them wrong.

This is where we come in. The tax attorneys at RJS Law are very experienced in helping people prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt to ensure proper taxation from the IRS. Contact us today for a FREE consultation by filling out the form on the right.

How the FTB Determines Residency Status

California residency law defines the class of persons that are expected to contribute tax revenue to the state. California’s Revenue and Tax Code (R&TC) § 17014 includes every person in the state of California except for those in California for “a temporary or transitory purpose.”

It is important to note that this definition of residency is very broad, and includes everyone currently in the state except for those remaining in the state for a temporary or transitory purpose. It also includes those people domiciled in the state of California but currently outside the state for a temporary or transitory purpose.

Much of the residency determination depends upon the definition of “a temporary or transitory purpose.” California Code of Regulations (CCR) § 17014(b) defines in great detail what “temporary or transitory purpose” means. It states that those domiciled  in the state who leave for a short period of time for both business and pleasure are outside the state for “a temporary or transitory purpose,” and as such are to be taxed as California residents.

Those domiciled outside the state, but staying within the state for business, medical or retirement purposes that are long-term and indefinite in time will not be considered in the state for “a temporary or transitory purpose,” and will be subject to the state tax.

As you can see, there is a lot of room for the FTB to interpret your movement as they like. But in general, listed below are the factors that the FTB uses to determine an individual’s residence status:

• The amount of time the individual spent in California versus the amount of time spent outside of the state.
• The location of the individual’s spouse and children.
• The state where the individual’s principal residence is located.
• The state that issued the individual’s driver’s license.
• The state the individual’s vehicles are registered in.
• The state the individual’s professional licenses are maintained in.
• The state the individual is registered to vote in.
• The location of the individual’s bank accounts.
• The origination points of the individual’s financial transactions.
• The location of the individual’s medical professionals, as well as accountants and attorneys.
• The location of the individual’s social ties such as worship, country clubs and professional associations.
• The location of the individual’s real estate property and investments.
• The permanence of the individual’s work assignments in California.

Still not sure if the FTB’s assessment of you is accurate? Contact us today for a FREE consultation. Use the contact form on the right to get started.

What to Expect During a California Residency Audit

During your residency audit, it is safe to expect the auditor to ask for certain information and documentation to help them establish and determine your residency status. This information might include any (or all) of the following: personal records, business documents, and financial records.

It is also important to note that the documents the audit may request for might relate to real estate, personal property, business records, financial records, and personal records. These include:

• information about the purchase of your home,
• sale or lease of your home,
• escrow documents,
• homeowners or renter’s insurance information,
• documents regarding your vehicle,
• travel logs,
• personal calendars,
• your employment agreements,
• cancelled checks or bank statements, and y
• our credit card receipts and statements.

Contact us Today for a FREE Consultation

California Residency Audits take a long time to complete. Although the FTB says it takes about 18 months to complete, the truth is that it usually takes much longer. And the longer it takes, the more complex it becomes.

This is why it is essential that you contact a California tax law firm who focuses on residency audits. Contact us today for a FREE consultation. Fill out the form on the right to get started.