It's tax time again. I usually get my taxes done before March starts, but I haven't had the motivation yet. I started it on Saturday morning and had the numbers complete by the afternoon. Now I just need to fill out the forms so they're fit the be submitted. I'm filing three returns this year, federal, Minnesota, and Maine.
The federal return was by far the easiest to prepare. Since I have mortgage interest I file the full 1040 with Schedule A, three pages.
The Minnesota forms are pretty easy too. There are three pages for the M1 and M1W, which are normal. The M1W replaces all W-2's in the envelope which I think is smart. I'm also filling out the M1NR since I moved out-of-state last year. I was disappointed to find that there isn't a fill-in version of the M1NR form. I like to fill them in on the computer so I can save a copy there and print out a nice clean, legible form. In total I should have seven pages for my Minnesota return.
The Maine tax forms are completely different. There aren't any fill-in forms at all. Not even the Maine long form. The long form is two pages, plus another page for Schedules 1 & 2, another page each for Worksheets A and B, and a final page for Schedule NR. That's six pages plus the three for the federal forms, for a total of nine pages, plus W-2's.
Okay, so two pages doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Take a look and compare M1NR with Worksheet A & B and Schedule NR. Worksheet A makes me feel like I am being interrogated. As someone who is returning to the state and bringing their out-of-state income with them, I am insulted. As for Worksheet B, why does it take Maine tax forms five columns where Minnesota only needs two? And finally Schedule NR, where we calculate a tax credit based on non-Maine income. I get a feeling that Maine thinks it is entitled to everything rather than just taking its share.
Being a Maine tax-payer again doesn't give me any warm, fuzzy feelings.
