Married/RDP filing jointly Filing status

You may file married/Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) filing jointly if at the end of the year:

• You were married or an RDP
• You and your spouse/RDP lived apart but were not legally separated
• Your spouse/RDP passed away during the year and you have not remarried or entered into another registered domestic partnership

Exception

If you file a joint return for federal purposes, you may file separately for California if either spouse was one of the following:

• An active member of the United States armed forces or any auxiliary military branch during the year
• A nonresident for the entire year and had no income from California sources during the year

Filing requirement

Visit Resident, Part-year resident and Nonresident taxation or Military for your filing requirement.