If made a mistake on my filing status. Instead of choosing married filing separate, I filed single. Can I correct this and amend it with the 1040X?

[macuser_22]

Yes.

Amended returns can only be mailed. It is suggested that it be mailed certified with return receipt (or other tracking service) to verify that the IRS receives it.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894381-how-to-amend-change-or-correct-a-return-you-already-filed

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3288565

You can check the status of the amended return here, but allow 3 weeks after mailing.

https://www.irs.gov/filing/individuals/amended-returns-form-1040-x-/wheres-my-amended-return-1

As of October 22, TurboTax 2016 online is shut down and can no longer be used to amend 2016. You must use the amend desktop software on your computer to amend.

2016 amend software:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/cd-download/amend/ty16/

Get a copy of 2016 tax file to amend:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899645-how-do-i-save-my-2016-turbotax-online-return-as-a-tax-data...

[bbloomfield7]

I just realized I made this exact same mistake with my 2016 return. My wife and I separated in August 2016. Because our tax withholding was setup as “married” with our employers, they withheld less tax. So when I filed single, I ended up owing $1,700. 

Since we weren’t legally divorced until November 2017, I should have filed as married filing separately in 2016, correct? If I amend my 2016 return using the desktop software, would I likely receive a refund instead of owing $1,700?

[KathrynG3]

It depends; you could amend from Single to Married Filing Separately. However, the tax rate for married filing separate is quite similar to Single.

Before you go to all the trouble of amending your return, check out the 2016 Tax Table at the link provided. Look up your income and you can compare what the tax would have been.

[amanda62]

Hi @KathrynG3, I recognize that this chat is (somewhat) old, but I just encountered a similar problem and I need advice from someone knowledgeable (and I'm not sure how to consult with a TurboTax professional by phone). In 2020, I filed Single because my 2020 marriage was abroad, my husband lives abroad (and has never earned any US income), and I got some bad advice from people I thought I could trust who were in similar situations (that your foreign marriage doesn't "count" in the US until it is registered in the US). I have now been told that that is fraudulent and carries penalties of up to $250,000 and three years in jail. (See https://www.sapling.com/7961824/happens-file-single-married.) Yet you recommended a simple amendment from Single to Married Filing Separately. Is it really so simple? On my amendment explanation, can I just say that I accidentally filed Single? And poof, it just goes away? Or do I end up in jail for three years? (If it helps to know, my federal tax due now when I did the amendment electronically - though I haven't filed it yet - is $0. For my state tax, the amendment shows that I need to pay $15 more only. It should be fairly obvious that I did not file Single in order to save money.) But the possible penalty has me very worried! Please share your thoughts and experience.

[Vanessa A]

Yes, it is that simple.  If you filed using TurboTax, all you need to do is log into your TurboTax account then click on Amend My Return , make the change from Single to Married Filing Separately, and then print your return.

TurboTax will ask for your spouses name and Social Security Number(SSN). If your spouse is a Non-Resident Alien (NRA) and does not have a SSN, you will need to handwrite NRA in all the spaces that ask for a SSN.

You will then need to mail your return to the address listed on the instructions that will print with your return.