Using the Filing Status Optimization utility (1040)

an easy way to assess whether it is more beneficial for your married clients to file jointly or separately (or, if certain qualifications are met, single or head of household, if considered unmarried).
an automated method of producing separate returns from one set of data in the event that married filing separately is best.
an easy-to-generate, detailed report showing the federal tax calculation based on joint data, two additional columns for the taxpayer and spouse based on their married filing separate status, as well as a column that shows the federal tax calculation based on separate data. You can also use this report when you have determined that it is not beneficial for the clients to file separately, but the client requests that you calculate the return using both filing methods.
reports for all states.

married clients request that you complete both calculations for them.
the client was divorced in the tax year or is going through a divorce.
you want to produce a report for all married clients to show that you have completed the calculation both ways, thus ensuring that they are paying the lowest tax.
you are preparing returns in a community property state (AZ, CA, ID, LA, NM, NV, TX, WA or WI), and are required to split all items of community property 50/50 between the taxpayer and spouse (or between two domestic partners).
you are preparing returns in a state, such as Ohio, where there is a married filing joint penalty.
there are certain unusual circumstances in the tax year that, due to certain limitations, may result in the calculation of lower tax if the return is filed separately. For example, this may occur if the taxpayer or spouse has exceptionally high medical or Form 2106 expenses.

Using the Filing Status Optimization utility

Complete the return with the filing status of married filing joint (
MFJ
) specified in Screen 1040. As you enter data, properly identify all income, expense, credit, and other items as belonging to the taxpayer or spouse using the
T, S, J
fields or the Taxpayer and Spouse columns where provided. Items identified as
J
are split equally between the taxpayer and the spouse. If you leave the
T, S, J
fields blank, UltraTax CS allocates the amount to the taxpayer.
For dependents entered in the
Dependent information
statement dialog in Screen 1040, dependents coded
J
are optimized and assigned to the taxpayer or the spouse based on which scenario generates the greatest tax savings for a married filing separate status. Dependents coded
T
(or blank) will always be assigned to the taxpayer and dependents coded
S
will always be assigned to the spouse. When dependents coded
J
are present in the return, the filing status optimization process will take longer to complete.
note
In some situations, if the TSJ code is not present, the optimization utility cannot accurately determine whether the taxpayer or the spouse is the "owner" of certain amounts or whether they both share equal ownership. Under these circumstances, UltraTax CS makes the following assumptions in allocating amounts. (Based on these defaults, you may need to modify related amounts on the separate returns.)
Input screen	Default
1310, 2Yr4835, 2Yr, 2YrC, 2YrRent, 2YrF, 4562, 8379, 8453, 8615, 8689, 8822, 8822B, 8840, 8857, 8857-2, 8857-3, 8862, 8918, 9465, Amend, ComPSt, DualStat, ELF, ESign, FAFSA, Family, History, NRA, NRA-2, PIN, POA, POA-2, PRR, RAL, TermStmt, TPW, TPW-2, TPW-Comp, TPW-ACA, W7	Amounts entered in these input screens do not transfer to either the taxpayer's or spouse's return.
1045, 1045-2, 1045-3, 1045-4, 4136, 4136-2, 4136-3, 5074, 8697, 8801, 8938, 8938-2, 982, AMT, J	All amounts are allocated to the taxpayer only.
8814	All information not specifically allocated to the spouse is allocated to the taxpayer only.
8839	Amounts not entered in the Eligible Children Information statement dialog are allocated to the taxpayer only.
8867	All information is transferred to both the taxpayer and spouse.
Asset module	All depreciable assets that are selected for Schedule A are allocated to the taxpayer only. All depreciation entered for all other business activity categories is allocated based on the TSJ codes entered for a corresponding business activity form and unit number. Basis, prior depreciation, and current depreciation of joint assets are split equally.
ACA Tax	Amounts entered in the Form 8960 - Net Investment Tax section will not transfer to the taxpayer or spouse's return.
Cr	Amounts entered in the Child Tax Credit section are split equally between the taxpayer and spouse. The full amounts entered in the Provider information and Qualifying person information for nondependents statement dialogs are allocated to both the taxpayer and the spouse.
Cr-2	All amounts for Forms 8582-CR are allocated to the taxpayer only.
Educate	The amounts in the 8815 section for Series EE or I Bonds not entered in statement dialogs are split equally between the taxpayer and spouse.
EIC	Amounts entered in the Pension or annuity from nonqual plan or sec 457 plan included in wages , Adjustment to earned income , and Disqualifying investment income (Force) fields are split equally between the taxpayer and spouse. All other information entered in the Earned Income Credit section is transferred to both the taxpayer and spouse.
Est	The following fields from the sections listed below do not transfer from this screen to Screen Est for either the taxpayer's or the spouse's return: 2025 Federal Payments section Amount paid with 1040-V (Force) Former spouse SSN, if joint estimates Explanation of division of joint estimates 2025 Overpayment Application section Amount for code #5 2026 Estimates - Calculated section Withholding adjustment Amount for code #2 Amounts for code #5 or #9 2026 Estimates paid Adjusted gross income Other tax / credit adj Amount of refund desired IRS check digits from pre-printed label Name Change - Estimates Print name on 2026 1040-ES vouchers
Ext	The following amounts from the section listed below do not transfer from this screen to Screen Ext for either the taxpayer's or the spouse's return: Extension Information Balance due on extension (force)
4952, OthAsset	All amounts are split equally between the taxpayer and spouse.
Pen	Amounts from Schedule AI do not transfer to either the taxpayer's or to the spouse's return.
PTC	Information in the Shared Policy Allocation statement is allocated based on the TS column. Amounts entered in all other fields do not transfer to either the taxpayer's or the spouse's return.
After completing the joint return, open the Filing Status Optimization utility by choosing Utilities > Filing Status Optimization.
note
When you open this utility, UltraTax CS automatically generates two unique client IDs, one with an ID that ends with TP for the taxpayer and one with an ID that ends with SP for the spouse. The client ID information for the two separate clients appears at the top of the Filing Status Optimization dialog.
If the joint return is itemized, the separate returns are itemized by default. If the joint return uses the standard deduction, the separate returns use the standard deduction by default. However, you can force the separate returns to be itemized or to use the standard deduction by choosing
Standard
or
Itemized
from the
Taxpayer
field.
note
Before you create the separate returns, verify that the selection in the
Taxpayer
field is the best option. For each of the separate returns, the
Standard/itemized deduction (Force)
field in Screen Gen contains the selection you enter here; therefore, you should verify that the selection in the
Taxpayer
field produces the best outcome for the each return.
You can force the state/local income or sales tax deduction method for the separate clients by choosing
Income, Sales - Table
, or
Sales - Actual
from the respective
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields. By default, the
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields will use the state/local income or sales tax deduction method entered in the
Joint
field.
You can force the state/local tax refunds on the separate returns by marking the
Force state/local tax refunds
checkbox in the General tab of the Filing Status Optimization dialog and entering the desired amount in the
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields.
You can allocate the maximum dollar limitation for section 179 between the taxpayer and spouse using the
Sec. 179 dollar limitation percentage
field. The default is to give 50 percent of the limitation to the taxpayer and 50 percent to the spouse. When you change the amount in the Taxpayer column then select the corresponding Spouse column, UltraTax CS automatically calculates the difference between the Joint column and the Taxpayer column and enters the difference in the Spouse column. Note that changing the percentage here will not cause any assets to be moved in the separate clients.
To select next year's organizer delivery method for the separate taxpayer and spouse clients being saved upon exit, choose
Paper
,
Email PDF
,
PDF to File
,
Web
,
Web-Print only
, or
None
from the corresponding
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields. By default, the
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields will use the organizer delivery method entered in the
Joint
field.
You can force the Form 2441 earned income exclusion for the spouses on the separate returns by entering the desired amount in the
Spouse earned income for 2441 exclusion
fields in the General tab of the Filing Status Optimization dialog.
To split the married filing joint return using community property rules, mark the
Split income according to Community Property rules
checkbox on the Community Prop / Filing Status / Other tab of the Filing Status Optimization dialog.
note
This option is only enabled when the attached state return, or state postal code indicated on Screen 1040, is AZ, CA, ID, LA, NM, NV, TX, WA or WI.
The following screens in UltraTax CS can be identified as community property: W2 (Wages), W2G (Gambling Winnings), C (Profit or Loss From Business), F (Farm), Rent (Rent and Royalty Property), 4835 (Farm Rental), and K-1 (Schedule K-1, 1065/1120S). Use the Community property designation fields on the aforementioned screens to identify which items are community property or non-community property (i.e. separate property).
UltraTax CS screens not mentioned in the list above will split items based on the respective
T,S,J
fields or the Taxpayer and Spouse columns where provided. If you leave the
T,S,J
fields blank, UltraTax CS allocates the amount to the taxpayer.
After the community property items are identified and the separate clients are created via the utility, UltraTax CS will automatically complete Screen ComPSt in the General folder using the spouse's (or domestic partner's) tax information. UltraTax CS uses information from this screen, combined with calculated tax return information for the taxpayer, to complete the Form 8958, Allocation of Tax Amounts Between Certain Individuals in Community Property States.
You can select the applicable filing status for the taxpayer and spouse by choosing Married Filing Separate, Single, or Head of Household from the corresponding
Taxpayer
and
Spouse
fields on the Community Prop / Filing Status / Other tab of the Filing Status Optimization dialog.
note
The default filing status for all returns completed via the Filing Status Optimization utility is married filing separate.
Only those individuals who qualify to file as unmarried may choose a filing status other than married filing separate. UltraTax CS does not automatically assess whether the qualifications are met. For more information, see IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information.
The Filing Status Optimization Report will be calculated using the specified filing status. In addition, the filing status savings information, which is printed at the bottom of the FSO Summary & FSO Report and also included with the informational diagnostics, will reflect the designated filing status.
If estimated payments entered in Screen Est or StPmt and the carryover amounts entered in Screens CO, NOLCO, and COGBCr for the joint return do not apply to the taxpayer you can allocate the amounts between the taxpayer and spouse. Use the Payments, 5Yr, NOL & Other Carryovers, Indefinite Carryovers, and Business Credit Carryovers tabs on the Filing Status Optimization dialog to allocate the amounts between the taxpayer and spouse. When you change any amount in the Taxpayer column then select the corresponding Spouse column, UltraTax CS automatically calculates the difference between the Joint column and the Taxpayer column and enters the difference in the Spouse column.
Select the Preview button to view the Filing Status Optimization Summary on the screen. Then, select the Print All button to print the report.
note
The Filing Status Optimization Report provides state information. For details about filing status optimization for a specific state, press F1 from within any state input screen to open the input screen overview topic, select the "Processing 1040 [state] returns" link at the top of the input screen overview (you may need to scroll to the top of the topic to see the link), select the "User Tips" link, then select the "Filing Status Optimization" link. Note that if a "Filing Status Optimization" link is not present, then filing status optimization is not applicable for that particular state.
The Summary report precedes the Federal report and applicable State report(s).
You can print the Filing Status Optimization Report to FileCabinet CS if you are licensed for FileCabinet CS and have it installed. From the Filing Status Optimization dialog, select the Print button to open the Print dialog, mark the
Store image in FileCabinet CS
checkbox, then select either the Print button or the To Cabinet button. (The To Cabinet button appears when the
FileCabinet CS
checkbox is marked and the
Printer
checkbox is not marked.)
If after evaluating the Filing Status Optimization Summary you decide that it is best for the clients to file
separately
, you can use the separate clients that UltraTax CS automatically created to prepare the returns. To save the spouse and taxpayer clients, mark the
Save clients upon exit
checkbox and select
Run
. To open one of the separate clients, select the
Family
button at the top-right, highlight one of the separate clients, then select the
Open
button.