@pynkrosegrl -
The laws motivate married couples to file joint as Congress protects the sactimony of marriage.
96% of married couples file joint. It is quite unusual to be able to find a situation where filing Separate makes financial sense. but the income repayment plans for student loans may be the one area where it MIGHT work. and since your incomes are so similiar, it does tilt the scale towards 'this could work'!
adding @Opus 17 as he has had some good commentary on this subject in the past.
suggest laying out all three tax returns (each separate and then Joint) at this website and then determining the implications of the educational repayment plans
https://www.dinkytown.net/java/1040-tax-calculator.html
The student loan interest is not going to be deductible, even if you file "joint'- your incomes are too high so you are not eligible. Same would go for filing Separate (it is not deductible filing separate, regardless of your income)
do you have children? are you itemizing your deduction? answers to those quesions have ramifications if filing separate.
