California has been sending tons of letters to people who didn't file a tax return in recent years (2017 mainly right now). All the ones I've seen (and I've seen a ton) have been sent to active duty military members stationed outside of California.The letters tell them that information from DFAS indicates that they were required to file a California tax return.
They are not.
California has all the information needed to know this (active duty codes on the W-2 and an address outside of California). They send the letters anyway.
This is CRAP!
Just add it to the long line of abuses that states pile on to military members, knowing that some military members won't know enough to realize they don't need to pay, or will miss the letter due to moving (since they are in the military). Free money for their bloated budgets.
If you get one of these letters, or worse, a letter stating you ignored a previous one and now owe money...FIGHT. California is wrong. Badly wrong.
The letters usually have a place where you indicate you aren't required to file a tax return due to being active duty stationed outside of California. Fill it out and send it back. You might include a polite letter explaining your living situation for the year just to be sure. If it's a notice asking for money, send a letter saying something to the effect that you were active duty military stationed in (state you were stationed) and received no California source income, therefore a tax return was not required and no taxes were owed.
Sorry these states suck...
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