In TaxAct®, all information entered on the federal return flows to the attached state return(s). That means that it isn’t possible to have conflicting filing statuses (i.e., married filing joint, married filing separate) between federal and state forms in one return. The program will not exclude the income from the other spouse on the state return.

If you need to file using one filing status on the federal form and a different filing status on the state form, you will have to prepare multiple returns in TaxAct. The exception is when a state allows for the filing status of married filing separate on a combined return.

For taxpayers who need to prepare multiple returns in TaxAct, here is an example of how you would file jointly for federal purposes and separately for state purposes:

TaxAct Return 1 - Spouse A and spouse B prepare a federal return with filing status married filing joint, including both spouses’ information. File this federal return.

TaxAct Return 2 - Spouse A prepares a federal return with filing status married filing separate, including only spouse A’s information. (Do not file this federal return.) Attach a state return to this federal return so spouse A’s information will flow to the state return. File this state return.

TaxAct Return 3 - Spouse B prepares a federal return with filing status married filing separate, including only spouse B’s information. (Do not file this federal return.) Attach a state return to this federal return so spouse B’s information will flow to the state return. File this state return.

The income on the combined federal form (TaxAct Return 1) should equal the sum of the two federal forms prepared for each taxpayer separately.