What to do if I did my taxes but it didn’t tell me to add my spouse w2 and we are filing married jointly

[shayeschendel]

Didn’t add spouses w2 on my return 

[xmasbaby0]

When you file a joint return you have to add all of your combined income from both spouses.   If you set up your return correctly in My Info as a joint return, there would be spots with each spouse's name on every income entry screen.

Did you already e-file without your spouse's W-2?

Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my return now?”  If you did that, you cannot do anything to fix it yet.  You have to wait for the email that tells you if your return was accepted or rejected. The IRS will begin to accept/reject e-files on January 29, so your email will come on or after 1-29.

You cannot change or add anything on the return that you just e-filed, nor can you stop it.  It is too late, just like when you put an envelope in a US mailbox on the corner.  The IRS does not allow you to take it back.

If you left out a W-2, a 1099G, or a dependent, or a 1099 etc…DO NOT change your return while it is “pending.”  The changes will go nowhere.

Now you have to wait until the IRS either rejects or accepts your return.  If your return is rejected, you will be able to go into your account and make the necessary changes to your tax return and re-submit your return. 

 If the IRS accepts your return, however, then you have to wait longer until it has been fully processed and you have received your refund.  THEN you can prepare an amended tax return and e-file or mail  it in. You have to be able to work from that return exactly the way it was when it was e-filed originally.  You will need to use a form called a 1040X.

  Meanwhile, DO NOT go in and start changing anything on your return in the system, or you will make a mess for yourself.  Sit tight and wait until you see what the IRS does with the return you just e-filed

[DoninGA]

In every section of the TurboTax program for entering income there are options to tell the program who the form or income belongs to, by name.

Go back and click on Federal on the left side of the online program screen

Click on Wages & Income

On the W-2 that is listed, click on the Edit/Add button

On the next screen click on the button to Add a W-2 that has your spouse's name.

[shayeschendel]

Okay so if they accept my return do I just go ahead and file his separately?

[DoninGA]

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@shayeschendel wrote:

Okay so if they accept my return do I just go ahead and file his separately?

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If you filed your 2023 tax return as Married Filing Jointly you Must amend the return to add his income.  You do Not file a separate tax return.

You will have to wait for the IRS to either Accept or Reject your filed federal tax return.
If the return is rejected you can make the necessary changes and e-file again.
If the return is accepted you will have to amend your original tax return. An amended return, Form 1040-X, can only be printed and mailed to the IRS if the original tax return was not e-filed. The IRS will take up to 20 weeks or longer to process an amended tax return.

Before starting to amend the tax return, wait for the tax refund to be received or the taxes due to be paid and processed by the IRS.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for amending a tax return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/amend-change-correct-return-a...

[shayeschendel]

Thank you last year we filed separately so it confused me this year because it didn’t tell me to put his stuff in it just went from my w2 to all the info of the family 

[xmasbaby0]

@shayeschendel Does your return even show at the top that you are filing a joint returns?     Did you make the necessary entries in My Info?

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 Personal Info.  Whenever you are entering income information there should then be a spot for you and for your spouse's income information.

When you prepare a joint return you include all the information for both spouses on the SAME tax return.  Include all of your personal information, all of your income from every source, all dependents (if any), all credits and deductions for both of you.  You get ONE refund with both names on it.

[xmasbaby0]

@shayeschendel 

"Okay so if they accept my return do I just go ahead and file his separately?"

That is not how to handle it if you are wanting to file a joint return.   When you file a joint return all of the information for both spouses goes on ONE return.   It is unclear what you did .  We cannot tell if you filed married filing separately again or if you filed a joint return.   If you filed MFS---by mistake--- and want to file a joint return, you have to amend and change it to a joint return.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899507-how-do-i-amend-a-separate-return-to-married-filing-jointly

If and when you amend......you have to put all of your own information, all of your spouse's information, all of your income, all of your spouse's income, etc. etc. etc. on ONE tax return.

[shayeschendel]

Yes I did file married jointly but it didn’t tell me to put his w2 info in so I just went on with what it was saying to do I now know that I need to wait for the return to be accepted or rejected and that I will have to fix it after finding out if they accept it or not