Filing married or jointly

[17780910375]

My wife and I have always filed jointly, the past couple of years we have not received a refund/or owed taxes should we file separately?

[Loretta P]

It depends on your situation.  Married Filing Joing (MFJ) is the lowest tax filing status and Married Filing Separate (MFS) aligns with filing as Single which is the highest tax filing status.  Most couples benefit from filing a joint return.  

Many of the credits available are reduced or potentially disallowed when filing separately.  Also if one spouse itemizes deductions when filing separately, both spouses must itemize even if the standard deduction would be better for one of the spouses.

The best way to determine if you should file a joint return or file separate returns is to first complete the joint return, then prepare the separate returns.  You would review the results to decide which method is best for your situation.

Helpful links:

Publication 501 (2025), Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information