Why Turbo Tax is considering my last year tax history but does not consider my wife last year history.

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 1, 2019
8 replies
0 views

Last year I was separated from my ex-wife and filed married filing separately. We later got divorced. I later remarried my first wife who wife filed “single” last year. Why Turbo Tax is considering my last year tax history but does not consider my wife last year history. Why Turbo Tax does not ask questions about my new wife last year history on our joint return. How should we fill out our taxes this year?

TurboTax Deluxe Windows

Best answer by SweetieJean

does not consider my wife last year history.

You can only transfer one 2015 return into TT 2016. Your marital status is determined as of 12/31/2016, and you should file as Married Joint with your current wife for tax year 2016.

It sounds like you transferred your own 2015 MFS return into TT 2016. You need to start in Personal Info by adding your new wife's name, SSN, etc. and changing your filing status to MFJ. Then go to Wages and Income, and add your wife's income, etc.

VolvoGirl

Employee

If you were not divorced by Dec 31, 2015 she could not file single. Only as MFS or Joint with you. If you were divorced then you needed to file Single not separate. So someone filed wrong.

S

SweetieJean

Employee

It sounds like they separated in 2015, but did not divorce until 2016. He then remarried in 2016.

VolvoGirl

Employee

Yes that's how I read it. Then his wife in 2015 couldn't file Single. Only Separate or maybe Head of Household.

S

SweetieJean

Employee

He refers to "first wife," so I think his current wife is a different person than the one he divorced in 2016.

P

pcouve9Author

Employee

My wife now is my first wife which I married 47 years ago, we just re-married in April 2016 after divorcing my second wife in March 2016. My wife now has been single since 2001. Last year I filed MFS so did my divorced wife. Hope this clarify that.

VolvoGirl

Employee

Oh, you may be right. There may be more than 1. Too confusing.

S

SweetieJean

Employee

Yes it does. And Congrats!

S

SweetieJeanAnswer

Employee

does not consider my wife last year history.

You can only transfer one 2015 return into TT 2016. Your marital status is determined as of 12/31/2016, and you should file as Married Joint with your current wife for tax year 2016.

It sounds like you transferred your own 2015 MFS return into TT 2016. You need to start in Personal Info by adding your new wife's name, SSN, etc. and changing your filing status to MFJ. Then go to Wages and Income, and add your wife's income, etc.