Surely the expert’s answer is correct; it depends, but most likely joint will be best. But I recommend that people try to plan for their tax situations so there are fewer surprises. Look at your withholdings on both income streams and make sure you’re withholding enough to accomplish what you want, either a refund or a payment, and how much of either. If your incomes and other factors are stable from year to year, then next year’s tax situation will be similar to this year’s. Adjust those W-4’s so that you are taking out enough in total to cover your expected tax bill to the degree you want. And use the pay stubs to check it after any bonuses or increases. If you can handle a little spreadsheet work, you can plan for this.
