Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 28, 2021 11:19:34 AM

If my return was rejected because my husband's and my names were switched this year. Should I just switch our names back and file again?

In previous years, my husband's name was listed first, and I was the spouse.  This year I was the primary filer, and he was the spouse.  Turbo Tax wants me to file by mail, which will cause massive delays at this time.  We owe money and we just want it paid and done.

0 5 1203
5 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 28, 2021 11:58:12 AM

Yes. Switch the order of your names and e-file again. The IRS does not always do a good job of tracking the secondary filer. A surviving spouse often encounters this issue when he or she becomes the primary taxpayer after years of being the secondary filer.

 

Some couples like to rotate who is listed first and second on the tax return out of equality, however this may lead to problems with the IRS. There have been cases where the IRS has said the couple never filed because of a switch in the order of the names.

 

It’s best to choose one order and stick with it.

Level 1
Mar 3, 2021 12:40:53 PM

I took your advice, switched around our names, SSNs, and (don't forget) Driver's License #'s.  Seems to have gone through just fine.

Returning Member
Apr 21, 2021 7:06:05 PM

How are we to change the order of the names?  There is no option to move them around?

Level 1
Apr 21, 2021 7:24:49 PM

I just went back in and retyped the names.  However, it was again rejected when we refiled with our names reversed.  We had to print and mail them - but they were received quite quickly, and we lived happily ever after.

New Member
Mar 27, 2025 9:47:55 AM

I hVE DONE THE SAME THING, with the advice of specialists with Turbo-Tax.  My pension is Federal, while my husband's is private and our return wouldn't pass the review.  With advice, I put my name & SSN first, and that fixed it ( for TT).  Can I assume I'll receive a rejection fromIRS?

Thank you