Amending tax return to Married Filing Jointly

[Coopers0214]

My husband and I filed separately.  Now we have amended our tax to Married Filing Jointly.  When my husband filed his tax separately, he owed the IRS and paid.  When I filed, I did not owe anything but got a refund.  We amended my husband's tax return and transferred all information from mine to his.  In this case, IRS now owes us a refund.  Why was the amount owed from my husband's original return deducted to the now filing jointly amount refunded? It doesn't make sense because the amended taxes say we get a refund, but I don't understand why the owing on my husband's tax return got deducted from the refund when amending the tax return to Joint.  To me, I feel he owes nothing? Will we get the difference?  I'm confused; please help

[NCperson · Accepted solution]

you might want to provide some numbers because it's hard to follow what you are saying.

By amending the return so you are filing joint ends up being a 'do over'.  

let's use an example

filing separate: Husband owes $1000; wife get a $600 refund

Amending to file joint: there is $1200 refund. 

What should occur is that since the two of you net paid $400 to the IRS by filing separately and now by filing joint there is a $1200 refund, you get the $400 paid back AND you get the $1200 refund. 

Maybe you are not filling out the amendment correctly????? the payment your husband made is not a deduction, but is added back.  do you have it in the 'wrong color' on the form? are you doing this manually or in TT? 

[Coopers0214]

Thank you for your explanation.