You can amend a Married Filing Joint (MFJ) return to a Married Filing Separate (MFS) return if done so before the original filing deadline (without extension). When amending a MFJ return to a MFS return, follow these steps in the program:
- Basic Information Section
- Filing Status
- Change the filing status to Married Filing Separate - All of the information that was allocated to the spouse, such as W-2s, 1099s, etc., will be removed from the return
*Note: Once you have filed your tax return as Married Filing Joint (MFJ), you CANNOT amend your filing status after the April deadline. Any change to filing status must be done before the deadline.
When changing from Married Filing Separate (MFS) to Married Filing Joint (MFJ), change the filing status to Married Filing Joint, then add all information pertaining to the other spouse. You may need to contact the support team if the Social Security Number field is not provided for the spouse. This section of the return is locked once a return has been e-filed and accepted. If you have claimed the spouse as a Dependent by mistake, you must remove the spouse from the Dependent section before changing the filing status.
*Note: Once you've filed your tax return as Married Filing Separate (MFS), you have three years from the original deadline to make the change to your tax return. This deadline DOES NOT include any filing extensions.