Single last year now married filing jointly, what do I do with last year income?

[Kmcarignan08]

I filed single through TurboTax in 2022. I got married in 2023 and we are filing jointly. TurboTax only brings in my 2022 income and doesn’t give me an option to update it. It lets me add my spouses income fine into 2023. Do I need to update the 2022 income or should I use the info I filed as a single?

[xmasbaby0]

To begin a new joint return on TurboTax:

You will not be able to merge two previous TT account to start your new joint return.  You can transfer ONE of your 2022 returns into a new return, so choose the most complicated one.  The other spouse’s information needs to be entered manually.

When you enter your own information in My Info, you have to answer the question "Were you married?"  If you click the button for Married, then a drop down will appear that asks, "Do you want to file this return together with your spouse?"  Then you choose yes to file a joint return.  You would then enter your spouse's information into My Info.  Whenever you are entering income information there should then be a spot for you and for your spouse's income information.  Income screens will have spots with each spouse’s name—be careful to enter under the correct names.

Best Wishes!

[Kmcarignan08]

thanks for your reply! It doesn’t give me the option to manually add any of my spouses 2022 income to mine. I carried forward my account from last year, do I need to set up a new account and merge in my info to be able to do that?

[VolvoGirl]

No you can only transfer from one 2022 return.  Did your spouse use Turbo Tax also?  Pick  the account & return that is the most complicated like has depreciation or a business etc.  or just start a new account for the both of you.  But then you can't transfer from 2022.

No you won't be able to add or merge their 2022 info.  Just add any prior info it needs as you go along.  Be sure to enter both your 2023 incomes to the same Joint return.  

[xmasbaby0]

  Did you start the return using YOUR old account or your spouse's old account?   You are only going to use ONE of the accounts.  You cannot combine them or pull data from both.   Pick ONE.    Going forward----always keep the names on your joint returns in that order.  The IRS does not care which one of you is "first" but keep it the same each year.

You need to go to My Info and make sure you have set up the return as a joint return.    When it asked if you were married in 2023, did you say YES?   Next question is if you want to file together with your spouse. You say YES.

Then it prompts you to enter the information for the spouse---spouse's name, date of birth, SSN, etc.

Throughout the return, when you are on an income screen, you will see a spot with both names or you will be asked by name  which spouse the income is for.   Enter carefully under the correct spouse's name.

[Kmcarignan08]

Thanks! I was mainly worried about adding my spouses 2022 income because right now it is only mine from what I submitted last year. So it looks a little funny when it compares income 2022 (single) to income 2023 (married-jointly).

[Kmcarignan08]

Yes, I used my account as a starting point. Yes I checked married filing jointly. I added all of my spouses personal information and I believe I have the 2023 information flowing in properly. My concern was that the 2022 income is only what I submitted last year. It doesn’t give me an option to manually and in my spouses income from 2022. 

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

Well--that's right.  You cannot add your spouse's 2022 income.   Only your 2022 income is going to show up in the "comparison" because only your data transferred over.  Next year when you file a 2024 joint return, you will see a comparison of  2023 joint income to 2024 joint income.

[Kmcarignan08]

Thank you so much, this was the info I needed!