Why is Turbotax trying to file my state return as dependent when I am filing my federal return as married - filing jointly? I cannot find a way to fix this - help?

[ReginaM]

To change your filing status while in TurboTax follow these steps:

1. Select Personal Info,
2. Scroll down until you see your filing status,
3. Select Edit,
4. Correct your status on the next screen.

[gmasoncup]

I have my filing status set to married, but on my state complete check it is still telling me that my state return is being filed as dependent even though my federal is set to married filing jointly. I have no idea how this happened and I need it fixed now. 

[JamesG1]

You have not e-filed yet, is that correct?

You believe that your Federal tax return is married filing jointly and that is what you want it to be?

What state tax return are you filing?  Have you walked through the state questions to see if they have been answered correctly?

Does your state allow you and your spouse to file separately?  See here.

Are you or your spouse being claimed by someone else as a dependent?

[gmasoncup]

I have not e-filed yet because it is saying that I cannot e-file my tax return if my dependency status is different on my state return from my federal return.

My federal return is set to married filing joint and that is how I want it. 

I am filing my Maryland state tax return, and I have walked through the questions multiple times. I am not even getting the option to choose my dependency status on my state return.

My spouse is being claimed as a dependent by her parents.

Would this issue be resolved if I filed as married-filing separately? 

[BarbaraW22]

You could certainly file as married filing separately. However, there are several credits that are not available with this filing status including the Earned Income Tax Credit and Student Loan Interest deduction.

If you would like to file jointly for federal purposes but file separately on your state return, you can do this using TurboTax. Please see the steps below. 

First, make sure your state will allow you to file separately even though you filed a joint federal return.

Next, TurboTax recommends that you use the desktop version of TurboTax to prepare your returns. This allows you to prepare separate state returns without paying an additional fee. (The desktop version allows you to file up to 5 returns.) Please see this TurboTax Article for information on how to transfer your online return to the desktop version.

Please follow these steps to file a joint federal and separate state returns:

1. Prepare one married filing jointly return to file with the IRS.
2. Prepare a "mock" married filing separate return for each taxpayer. Note: You will not file this. It is for your records only, and will be used to generate separate state returns for each person.
3. Then for the first taxpayer (Taxpayer 1), label and use the first "mock" married filing separate federal return to prepare Taxpayer 1's state married filing separate return. Use only Taxpayer 1's income and half of the deductions from the married filing jointly federal return.
4. This ensures that TurboTax only transfers the first taxpayer's income to their married filing separate state return.
5. File this married filing separate STATE return, not the mock federal return that it pulls the information from.
6. For the second taxpayer or spouse (Taxpayer 2), label and use the second "mock" married filing separate federal return to prepare Taxpayer 2's state married filing separate return. Again, use only Taxpayer 2's income and half of the deductions from the married filing jointly federal return.
7. File the second married filing separate STATE return, not the second mock federal return that it pulls the information from.

For additional information, please see this TurboTax Help Article.

@gmasoncup