@TomD8 wrote:
"You must file your federal tax returns as single but your state tax return as joint (married, RDP)."
Not exactly. You may file your California tax return as Married/RDP Joint, Married/RDP Separate, or - under certain circumstances - as HOH.
Not HOH.
"Filing Status
Use the same filing status for California that you used for your federal income tax return, unless you are an RDP. If you are an RDP and file single for federal, you must file married/RDP filing jointly or married/RDP filing separately for California."
You still file two separate single federal returns.
To file married/RDP filing jointly in CA, you prepare a third return in Turbotax that uses married filing jointly for federal and state. Discard federal and mail the state return.
To file RDP filing separately for CA, you prepare two extra returns, using federal married filing separately for federal and RDP filing separately for CA. Discard the federal returns and mail the two state returns (you will have a total of 4 separate tax files).
