Not sure how to file fed and state taxes

What is the name of your state? NORTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA

Please help with this situation. My spouse moved from NC to Florida due to work. He claimed Florida residency when he accepted his new job in Dec 2003. I claimed Florida residency in May 2004. The only incomes we have from NC is our state refund from 2003 and my unemployment checks. I'm not sure how to file. We have been filing married filing jointly for both the fed and state for previous years. Can we file our ferderal tax return as married filing jointly and state as married filing separately?

you can certainly file fed jointly. even if NC requires a joint filing, the only income that would possibly be taxed is the unemployment income. most state forms have you calculate the tax on the full fed amount & then pro-rate that tax based on the ratio of state income to fed income.

go to NC's website & search for their return instructions. they have a pretty basic tax form.

You already have recieved one good answer, but I will give you another. A tax preparer could handle this very easily for you...they do it all the time. This might be a year that you should choose to use one.