Tax software asking for Form 2210 from 2022 but we never filed one - what now?

This is actually a relatively common issue when switching from MFJ to MFS filing status. The tax software is likely checking for Form 2210 (Underpayment of Estimated Tax) because the system is trying to determine if you had any underpayment penalties last year that might carry over or affect this year's calculations. Here's what you should do: First, pull out your complete 2022 tax return (the actual PDF) and verify that Form 2210 truly wasn't included. If it wasn't there, then you definitely don't need to enter anything from it. Your software should have an option to indicate "I did not file this form last year" or something similar - it might be in an advanced settings menu or you may need to look for a "skip" option that's not obvious. If the software absolutely won't let you proceed, you might need to enter zeros in the required fields. However, that's not ideal because you don't want to falsely indicate you filed a form you didn't. Another option is to try a different tax software. Some handle the MFJ to MFS transition more gracefully than others.

After struggling with a nearly identical situation last year (switching from joint to separate), I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it completely saved me. Their system actually looks at your previous returns and automatically detects what forms you did and didn't file, so it prevented exactly this kind of confusion. When the software kept demanding Form 2210 info I didn't have, I uploaded my previous year's return to taxr.ai and it immediately identified that I had no Form 2210. It generated a report I could reference when filling out this year's taxes, showing exactly what forms were included in my previous filing. Saved me hours of frustration!

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after my skeptical comment. I decided to try it since I was completely stuck with my Form 2210 issue. Uploaded my 2022 return PDF and within minutes it gave me a complete breakdown of every form and schedule we had filed - confirming we never had a Form 2210. The report it generated actually showed which specific lines from my previous return would be relevant for this year's questions. I was able to confidently tell the tax software "No" when it asked about the 2210, and finally got past that roadblock. It also flagged some potential deductions I was missing based on comparing this year's entries to last year. Honestly wish I'd known about this tool before filing for the extension! Would have saved us the last-minute scramble.

If you're still having trouble with this even after trying different workarounds, you might want to just call the IRS directly to confirm whether you filed Form 2210 last year. BUT good luck actually reaching a human being there... took me 4 hours on hold last month. I've been using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to IRS agents quickly. They have this system that basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I had a similar issue with a form the software kept asking for but I never filed, the IRS agent was able to confirm within minutes what was actually in my previous year's return. Saved me hours of searching through paperwork and guessing what to do in the software.

I have to admit I was super skeptical about Claimyr from my comment above, but my Form 2210 issue was still unresolved after trying everything else. I finally broke down and tried it yesterday. The process was exactly as described - I entered my phone number, and about 52 minutes later (during which I was cooking dinner, not sitting by my phone), I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS agent. The agent confirmed in about 2 minutes that our 2022 return did NOT include Form 2210, and explained how to properly indicate this in the tax software. Problem solved in under an hour versus the 3+ hours I wasted trying to figure it out on my own! I'm now scrambling to finish our returns before the extension deadline. For anyone with IRS questions that need quick answers, this is legitimately worth it.

I went through this same problem when switching from MFJ to MFS two years ago. There's actually a really simple solution nobody's mentioned yet. If you have your 2022 tax return PDF, open it and press CTRL+F to search for "2210" - if nothing comes up, you didn't file that form. Most tax software will let you continue if you just check "No" firmly enough! If the software is being stubborn, try entering the AGI from last year's return when it asks for the Form 2210 info - sometimes that satisfies it enough to move forward.

Hey, are you using TurboTax by any chance? I ran into that EXACT SAME ISSUE last week. The solution was to go to Forms Mode (you can search for it in the search bar at the top), then find Form 2210, and there's a checkbox that says "I didn't file this form last year" - check that and the software will stop asking for the missing info! Also, just a heads up that when you switch from MFJ to MFS, some of your deductions will be different. Make sure both of you don't claim the same credits for the kids. And double check your student loan interest deduction - when filing MFS, you usually can't claim that deduction (though the payment benefits might still make MFS worth it).

I had this exact same issue when I switched from MFJ to MFS three years ago! The tax software kept insisting I needed Form 2210 data from the previous year even though we'd never filed one. Here's what worked for me: First, double-check your 2022 return by searching the PDF for "2210" like others mentioned. If it's not there, you're good. Then in your tax software, look for an "interview mode" or "easy step" option and switch it OFF - go to the more detailed/advanced mode instead. This usually gives you more control over these yes/no questions. In the advanced mode, when it asks about Form 2210, there should be a clear "No, I did not file this form" option rather than just trying to skip past it. If you're still stuck, try starting a completely fresh return in the software and being very deliberate about answering "No" to the Form 2210 question the first time it appears. One more tip - make sure you're entering your 2022 AGI correctly from your actual tax return (not from memory). Sometimes the software gets confused if there's a mismatch and starts asking for forms you didn't file. Good luck finishing up before your extension deadline!