Pls advise on tax filing: husband on H1B, Wife moved from F1 to H1B

[rocky_mountain]

Am sure this question must have been asked several times, but not sure how to efficiently get to a good answer.

Can someone pls help me understand how do I file my, and my wife's, taxes for 2015? Here's our situation:

- I've been working on H1B the whole year (2015)
- My wife was on F1 visa till October 2015, after which she got an H1B visa...on 12/31/2015 she was on H1B.
- We both lived and earned in different states in 2015

What's the general recommendation to file in above scenario: ....which tax software/tool? .....any advice on filing jointly (to make the process quicker), or just separately (to avoid the state hassle)?

I thought of using Turbotax to file a 'married-filing-jointly' for the Fed returns (form 1040), however, I think I'll have to file separate state returns individually. Is it ok if her state return shows a form 1040 (instead of a 1040NR)?

Thanks in advance!

[USCPATAXES]

Filing Status

Am sure this question must have been asked several times, but not sure how to efficiently get to a good answer.

Can someone pls help me understand how do I file my, and my wife's, taxes for 2015? Here's our situation:

- I've been working on H1B the whole year (2015)
- My wife was on F1 visa till October 2015, after which she got an H1B visa...on 12/31/2015 she was on H1B.
- We both lived and earned in different states in 2015

What's the general recommendation to file in above scenario: ....which tax software/tool? .....any advice on filing jointly (to make the process quicker), or just separately (to avoid the state hassle)?

I thought of using Turbotax to file a 'married-filing-jointly' for the Fed returns (form 1040), however, I think I'll have to file separate state returns individually. Is it ok if her state return shows a form 1040 (instead of a 1040NR)?

Thanks in advance!

Here are the possibiliies:

1. You file as MFS, using Form 1040, and your wife files MFS, using Form 1040NR, filing Form 8843 exempting the days she was on a F1.
2. Filing MFJ, using form 1040.

The effect of your filing status on the federal return only potentially changes the allocation of taxable income. Regardless of your Federal return, both you and your wife need to file state income tax return in the states of residency and the states with sourced income