What should they do?

[Questionguy101]

Wife has filed a married filing separate return already.

Husband has not filed yet but he wants to file a joint return now. The wife agrees.

I know they can change to filing jointly after a married couple has filed their own separate return. But how do you amend the wife's separate return which has been filed when the husband has not filed yet?

I have no idea how to put the numbers onto the Form 1040X.

Help please.

[Bonnie]

Wife has filed a married filing separate return already.

Husband has not filed yet but he wants to file a joint return now. The wife agrees.

I know they can change to filing jointly after a married couple has filed their own separate return. But how do you amend the wife's separate return which has been filed when the husband has not filed yet?

I have no idea how to put the numbers onto the Form 1040X.

Help please.

The 1040X has wife's original return figures on the left column for amounts as originally filed. Right column has amounts as they should be doing return as MFJ. There is a box to check for filing status on original return which is MFS and the corrected box would be marked MFJ. Keep in mind the wife in this case is the taxpayer and the husband is the spouse because the original return was filed by the wife and you are amending her return from MFS to MFJ.

Hope this helps
Bonnie

[Questionguy101]

The 1040X has wife's original return figures on the left column for amounts as originally filed. Right column has amounts as they should be doing return as MFJ. There is a box to check for filing status on original return which is MFS and the corrected box would be marked MFJ. Keep in mind the wife in this case is the taxpayer and the husband is the spouse because the original return was filed by the wife and you are amending her return from MFS to MFJ.

Hope this helps
Bonnie

Thank you for the concise and precise answer. Appreciated.