Get your taxes done using TurboTax

You should file your federal return as a joint return.  It is the best option for married couples.  However you should file your State as separate.  

Note: you will not need to file a Nevada state return because there is no State income tax.

Here is how to prepare federal joint and separate states  It is recommended that you use TurboTax Desktop for this process.  However, you can use TurboTax online for the Mock return since you only need one state.

Here is an overview of the process:

1. Prepare one married filing jointly (MFJ) return to file with the IRS.
2. Prepare a mock married filing separate (MFS) return for each taxpayer. This is for your records only, and will be used to generate separate state returns for each person. The mock federal returns are not filed.
3. Then for the first taxpayer, label and use the first mock MFS federal return to prepare their state MFS return. Use only their income and their half of the deductions from the MFJ federal return.
   • This ensures that TurboTax only transfers the first taxpayer's income to their married filing separate state return.
4. File this MFS state return, not the mock federal return that it pulls the information from.
5. For the second taxpayer (spouse), label and use the second "mock" MFS federal return to prepare their state MFS return. Again, use only their income and their half of the deductions from the MFJ federal return.
6. File the second MFS state return, not the second mock federal return that it pulls the information from.

Note:  Step 6 is not needed since you only need to file the California return