Joint federal taxes are accepted and I'm trying to filing state separate (one for NJ and 1 for NY) and its getting rejected. Can someone help?

[emilywong9212]

Hi all! I have a weird situation where my husband and I got married in august 2020 and we didn't start living together until 2021 (complex situaton). Basically, when I tried to do our taxes jointly, it counts us as residents of each others states (he was in NJ and I was in NY, when we lived separately)

When I contacted Turbotax, I was told to file 3 separate tax returns:
- First return - Federal: Jointly
-Second return - NJ for wife: file separately and only submit for state
- Third return - NY for husband: file separately and only submit state

I was able to submit the first 2 returns (wife: both federal and state is all set) but when I try to submit my husband's state return, it gets rejected because i can't file the federal in the same return AND it doesn't recognize that our federal was already jointly filed. What can I do here?!

[VolvoGirl]

Right you have to mail it.   But you shouldn't have done one state in your federal return account either.  Did you do them this way?

If you need to file a Joint federal and separate state returns

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/how-do-i-prepare-a-joint-federal-return-and-se...

Reading the FAQ it looks like you have to use 3 accounts.  One to file the Joint return.  Then you each need another account to fill out fake federal MFS returns to do your separate state returns.    So you will have to PAY for 3 online accounts (3 federal returns and 2 state returns).  That's why it's cheaper to use the Desktop installed program.    If you don't have a computer to install the desktop program on maybe it would be cheaper and easier to go to a local accountant or tax place.

[emilywong9212]

Yes! I have the desktop app, and can use 3 accounts.

So the issue is, when i filed the federal jointly, I didn't realize i had to do the state ones separately, so i submitted it as jointly and it got accepted for NJ and Federal. I then called turbo tax and they directed me to the page you linked but I can't submit the MOCK NY state return because it doesnt recognize that a federal is already submitted for my husband.  

[VolvoGirl]

Right. You have to print and mail the state returns.   In fact you did your state return wrong.   You may need to amend it.   Read that FAQ link slowly and carefully.   You needed to do 3 new separate returns.   

1 federal Joint

1 fake federal Married filing Separate for 1 state

1 another fake federal Married filing Separate for the other state.

[SteamTrain]

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@emilywong9212 wrote:
................... (he was in NJ and I was in NY, when we lived separately)

When I contacted Turbotax, I was told to file 3 separate tax returns:
- First return - Federal: Jointly
-Second return - NJ for wife: file separately and only submit for state
- Third return - NY for husband: file separately and only submit state

.............................

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While you may have it correct....we should probably confirm which of you was a resident of which state during 2020.

Your statement above is somewhat confusing...or perhaps you accidently switched stating your states in your text you posted.  (or if a same-sex marriage.....I got confused as to which of you was being set up as "husband or wife" )

"(he was in NJ and I was in NY, when we lived separately)"

_________________________________

If Your husband was a resident of NJ during 2020, his should be the MFS-NJ tax file, not yours. Filing his as MFS-NY shouldn't be done (was rejected initially anyhow).

IF You (wife) was a resident of NY for all for 2020, then your own MFS-NY tax return is the one that should be mailed in.

_________________

If you really ended up successfully filing MFJ-NJ with all of both your incomes, and it was accepted (double check your actual NJ tax file), I'm not sure what you are gong to have to do other than filing an amended NJ tax return to NJ, as NJ-MFS for the appropriate person...if they allow it.