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Level 1
posted Feb 6, 2020 9:17:26 AM

Receiving the following: "Utah return filed under special instructions where the filing status is different from the federal return . . ." Not sure what this means.

I am not sure if there is something I can change to allow me to E-file but it does not seem that the state portion is working correctly.

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1 Best answer
Expert Alumni
Feb 6, 2020 10:00:10 AM

If your federal return is filed using Married, filing jointly, you are supposed to use the same status on your Utah tax return. This message means that you are using status 9 – Special Instructions for Couples, instead of 2 – Married filing jointly.

 

If you haven't filed your return yet, you can change it. 

  1. Click on State on the left side menu.
  2. Click Continue.
  3. Select Edit to the right of Utah.
  4. Continue until you get to, We've Recommended a Utah Filing Status. 
  5. Select Married filing jointly.
  6. Continue through the rest of your state return.
  7. Select Review from the menu on the left side. 
  8. If any errors are shown, you will need to correct them. 
  9. Continue into the File section. 
  10. Keep going until you get to, Let's get ready to file, select I want to e-file.
  11. Continue until your return is transmitted.

If you want to use status 9, you won't be able to e-file your state return.

 

Click here to learn more.

13 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 6, 2020 10:00:10 AM

If your federal return is filed using Married, filing jointly, you are supposed to use the same status on your Utah tax return. This message means that you are using status 9 – Special Instructions for Couples, instead of 2 – Married filing jointly.

 

If you haven't filed your return yet, you can change it. 

  1. Click on State on the left side menu.
  2. Click Continue.
  3. Select Edit to the right of Utah.
  4. Continue until you get to, We've Recommended a Utah Filing Status. 
  5. Select Married filing jointly.
  6. Continue through the rest of your state return.
  7. Select Review from the menu on the left side. 
  8. If any errors are shown, you will need to correct them. 
  9. Continue into the File section. 
  10. Keep going until you get to, Let's get ready to file, select I want to e-file.
  11. Continue until your return is transmitted.

If you want to use status 9, you won't be able to e-file your state return.

 

Click here to learn more.

New Member
Feb 9, 2020 9:18:41 PM

I have this same problem with my return, however, it's not giving me the option to change the recommended utah filing status when I follow your instructions.

Level 1
Feb 9, 2020 9:21:55 PM

It also didn’t let me change the “filing status” but I went through all the prompts for the state and at the end it said something along the lines of “you have to update TurboTax to continue” so I did update it and it seemed to fix the issue. Still no option to change fixing status but it seems that it set it the same as federal selection. Hope this helps!

New Member
Feb 11, 2020 7:54:22 PM

I am also having this problem and am not given an option to change filing status to anything other than full year resident, partial year resident, or nonresident.  My Mac version of Turbotax appears to be fully updated.  What other solutions are there to make sure I can e-file?

New Member
Feb 12, 2020 3:31:58 PM

I too am having the same issue where it does not show "We've Recommended a Utah Filing Status" page at all so there is no option to change it. The way I noticed is a big fat $0 for state refund when I expected to pay. I printed the forms and the TC-40 does not show my spouse listed and all of the numbers are way low for AGI from federal return. I think there is a software issue.

Intuit Alumni
Feb 12, 2020 4:10:42 PM

Please use this link to contact Turbo Tax for assistance:  Contact Us.  This will help to ensure that your call is properly routed.

New Member
Feb 17, 2020 12:39:39 PM

I got the same error. Apparently, my marital status did not fill out in the form even though I filled it in on the federal return portion. I had to do the following:

1. Go to "View" in the toolbar

2. Select "Forms"

3.  Select "Info Worksheet" under the Utah Individual section on the left side and then manually select my marital status under Part III - Filing Status.

 

Hope this helps someone else as well.

New Member
Feb 18, 2020 7:29:38 AM

I had this happen and had to call the help desk and they sent a link for an update to the software and it fixed all the issues & populated the Utah return from the federal return.   

Level 1
Feb 22, 2020 5:43:02 PM

There is definitely a software problem. The fields in the Utah forms are not populating at all, except for the standard deduction.

Not applicable
Feb 23, 2020 2:08:55 PM

I had a similar issue even when filling single... I first manually entered the status via the forms that Pkelley suggested. then called the support line since it didn't fix it. support had me:

click >file>remove Utah data> confirm.

then restart the application and re-open the tax return file. upon restart the UT refund amount would caculate rather than stay at 0. It also allowed me to select a donation org. for political support ( previously didn't appear). after that all the fields poulated on the PDF version and tax refund went up to expected amounts.

New Member
Feb 24, 2020 4:52:50 PM

Had to do the same as Tronman.  Support line was complete failure when I did reach a human, I was hung up on when she wanted me to enter it manually.  The automated line keeps giving you stupid information like the expert reply above.  Yes, it's supposed to be the same.  No, there is no automated prompt for filing status on the Utah state tax return.   Fix: Manually enter the status like Pkelley shows and then remove the Utah data like Tronman shows.  Yes, you do have to re-enter all those annoying prompts for your State return but at least you can do it yourself without having a hugely frustrating experience with their support line.  Very disappointed in TurboTax!

New Member
Feb 26, 2020 10:14:29 AM

I tried to follow these instructions but when I hit edit and continue to hit "continue" nothing ever comes up to change from the special situations classification "9" and allow a change to the "Married Filing Joint" selected on the Federal 1040.

New Member
Mar 10, 2020 7:58:16 PM

Didn't work because step #4 "We've recommended a state filing status" wasn't an option.  Went directly to "We've recommended a residency status".