Amending filing status from MFS to MFJ

[Ver]

I filed electronically tax returns for a couple where each filed MFS.  The wife's return was accepted but the husband's return was rejected with a error message saying that the filing status should be MFJ because the wife is being claimed as a dependent.  My client decided to just file MFJ with the wife NOT being claimed as a dependent in their daughter's tax return.  Given that the wife's return was already accepted as MFS, can I amend her return to MFJ and ADD the husband's lone W-2 in the amended return OR do I need to paper file the husband's MFS return first before amending their tax returns to MFJ.  Any assistance to my issue will be greatly appreciated. 

[sjrcpa]

"My client decided to just file MFJ with the wife NOT being claimed as a dependent in their daughter's tax return."

What does that mean?

[Ver]

Originally, I filed the wife as MFS and was claimed as dependent of the daughter.  We later found out that as MFS, her Social Security income is included as part of the adjusted gross income which would disqualify her as a dependent.  So, we are now filing MFJ.

[Skylane · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can amend the mfs to MFJ and add the husbands w2.

[taxes96786]

I would think the daughter's return would have to be amended to take her mother off as a dependent. Do you know why they chose to do this to begin with? Does the daughter provide more then half of mother's support? Do the parents live together?

This is very unusual and not able to advise correctly without further info.

[Ver]

Yes, we have to amend the daughter's tax return to take the mother off as a dependent.  The unmarried daughter claimed the mother as dependent to qualify as H of H instead of Single.  The mother has W-2 income of $2,576 and $4,169 in SS.  They all lived in the same household and the high-income daughter provides more than half of the support of the parents.