Message: "State cannot be e-filled before your federal" but already received email confirmation that federal was received.

[ChrisAGC]

What do I do?  I would greatly prefer to e-file rather than paper file it, but I know we're getting close to tax day.

I filed with TurboTax Premier (PC version, not online/web browser) on March 26, and received TurboTax email confirmation of acceptance for Federal and 1 of 2 states, but I still can't file for my 2nd state, California.  Both States and federal were all completed and attempted to be filed on the same day, at the same time. 

I just tried again 4/5/23 2:50PM PT and still get the same message, so it's been 10 days now. If this is standard/expected procedure, for future reference, how long should I expect to wait, and what confirmation should I be waiting for? Or is there no confirmation and I have to just keep trying to submit to e-file every day until it goes through?

[DawnC]

Did you delete your CA return and then re-add it after you e-filed federal?    You should be able to e-file your state once the federal return has been accepted.   How to E-file State After E-filing Federal.  

[ChrisAGC]

No, I did not delete anything, but my situation is my partner and I created and filed our own individual Federal Taxes (Filing status, single) and then we build another (with community income, Domestic Partnership) for Married Fling Jointly for the single state of California. So perhaps Turbo tax is not registering that our individual Federal taxes were accepted? Any idea how to get around this? Both individual federals were filed on the computer/single license of TurboTax Premier. 

[RobertB4444]

You need to create a mock up federal joint return and then the California joint return with it.  Tell the system you are mailing the federal joint return and then efile the state.

@ChrisAGC 

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry that won't work.  You can only efile state from the same return the federal was accepted.  So you can't efile CA from the mock federal joint return.  You will have to print and mail california.

[DawnC · Accepted solution]

See the RDP guidance here.   You have to mail the state return since you did not e-file the ''mock'' federal joint return.    See step 5 under Part lV.  

[BastaPa · Accepted solution]

The really bad thing is:  it did work last year!  Last year, I was able to e-file an IRS Return for each my partner and myself, then built an IRS Mock Return as "married" that fed the CA Joint Return perfectly, then by choosing "do not file IRS" and "file California", I was able to e-file our CA Joint Return. 

This year, TT has taken that functionality away - if you want to e-file your State Return, you have to also e-file your IRS Return at the same time!  Why?  No explanation.  And no work-arounds either.  Simply "TT took that away, with no communication and no guidance" - I am on my own to "print and mail".  In other words, I now consider TurboTax software to be defective: it is sold to enable you to e-file both IRS and State... BUT NOT FOR RDPs. 

Chris, I feel for you, I am in the same boat. 

[VolvoGirl]

No that can't be right.  It hasn't changed.  Your state was Accepted last year?  Maybe it also filed the mock federal.  Did you maybe file the mock returns before filing the Single federal returns?  Were the federal returns accepted or maybe you mailed them?  

[BastaPa]

Believe it or not, it worked as I said: in 2022 for our 2021 returns, I e-filed both our individual IRS Returns, without State Returns, as instructed.  Then I built the IRS Mock Return, reviewed and finalized the California Joint Return and e-filed it while selecting to NOT e-file the IRS Mock Return.  It worked like a charm.  That's why I was stunned when I did the same thing this year for our 2022 returns:  it all worked, I was able to build the IRS Mock Return and validate that everything was correct in the CA Joint Return - but when it came time to e-file it, your software gave me the message that "it is not possible to e-file a State Return without, or before, e-filing an IRS Return".  It simply does NOT work - but it did last year.  No I did not print and mail our 2021 CA Joint Return - I would remember it as it was so painful and time-consuming to print it this year.  And No, I did not e-file both an IRS Married Return and a CA Joint Return - the IRS would have contacted (or audited) me as to why I was sending 3 IRS Returns for 2 people.  Summary, again: TT changed its software!  It's that simple, and that frustrating. 

[VolvoGirl]

The only other thing I can think of is how did you do the mock federal return?  Did you use one of the Single federal and change it to Joint?  Or start a brand new return from scratch?  If you used one of the efiled federal returns it probably would see it as efiled so let you efile state.  

[BastaPa]

Well, that's an interesting idea!  I have no recollection now how I built the files, but if your "idea" would work, that would be a GREAT suggestion to give to RDPs - BEFORE - they start building their IRS Mock Return!  So simple, especially as for most people, the "main" filer would then add his/her partner into his/her Individual Build for the IRS return!  Splendid idea!  I don't have time to test this out, but it would be great for TT to test it out and to update their guidance.  Keep in mind that last year 2022 for the 2021 returns, and this year 2023 for the 2022 returns until a couple of months ago when I started working on our returns, the TT software provided guidance as I described it before: build and e-file IRS Individual Returns BUT not for the State for both partners, then build an IRS Mock Married Return, finalize the State Joint Return, and e-file the State Joint Return BUT not the IRS Mock Married Return.  I read it, and I also talked with a TT Tax Expert about it, and it was there in January 2023, but it is NO LONGER THERE now - it has been removed.  Go figure!  

[BastaPa]

Actually, come to think of it...  I did this year (2023, for 2022 Returns) what you are suggesting:  I built and e-filed both our IRS Individual Returns, but no State.  Then I took my IRS Return which is much more complex, and brought my partner's information into it, i.e., changed to married, and added info and income, finalized the California Joint Return - and that's when the TT Software did not allow me what I had done last year, i.e., e-file the State but not IRS.  Sorry, your idea does not work - as it's exactly what I did this year. 

[VolvoGirl]

Did you use the Online version or the Desktop CD/Download program?  Can you find both your Single Federal returns?  What is no longer there?

[BastaPa]

I used the Desktop - as last year, the TT Tax Expert (very good) who answered my first call, told me to use this version for a RDP Return, and not the Online version. 

What is "no longer there"?  It's the guidance that I got from TT when I started my own return, and clicked that "I was in a RDP" - a pop-up came with the info that I mentioned.  If I start a new return now, such guidance does no pop up anymore.  And if I search in the "topics" for "Registered...", nothing is found and it brings me back to working on the return. 

[TeresaM]

It is a moving target between the federal and the state systems and sometimes things we have done to work around situations change. We have long used similar workarounds for military families with spouses in different states of record. The state tax systems query the IRS if there is an accepted return because if the federal is rejected, it is likely information will change and that will impact the state. Without that system there would be many, many state amendments. 

I went in the Desktop version and did topic search on RDP and it dropped me right into the Personal Info section, just as you said. 

If the e-file will not go through, as you mentioned, it is beginning to get close to tax day. There is still a backup option to print and mail the California return.