Laws.com is a website that provides a legal forms guide. One of the forms they offer is Form 540, which is used for filing income tax returns in California. This form is specifically designed for non-residents or part-year residents of California who are required to pay income tax in the state. If you made $100,000 or less in a year and meet all the qualifications listed on the California Franchise Tax Board website, you can use a short version of Form 540 to file your taxes. However, there is also a long form version available for those who need it. To fill out the form, start with step 1, which requires you to provide your name, address, tax identification number, and date of birth. If you file taxes jointly with your spouse, include their information as well. In step 2, if you or your spouse had a different last name on your previous year's tax return, enter that previously filed last name where indicated. Step 3 involves filling in the Oval next to the statement that describes your filing status, which is found on lines one through five. Your residency status should be described in step 4 where indicated. If you can be claimed as a dependent, fill in the Oval on line 6 in step 5. Step 6, on the other hand, includes lines 7 through 11, where you can indicate any exemptions you wish to claim. Step 7 requires you to compute your total taxable income as instructed on lines 12 through 19. In step 8, you need to calculate your California taxable income using the instructions provided on lines 31 through 42. For those who qualify for a non-refundable renters credit, step 9 involves adjustments, which is displayed on lines 61 and 74. Line 81 deals with state income tax withheld from wages, while...