Deductions & credits

@teripendland  Your husband would have to change the deduction to itemized (whether he has any or not), if you file as itemized.

Have you looked at filing jointly?  

Advantages of filing jointly

There are many advantages to filing a joint tax return with your spouse. The IRS gives joint filers one of the largest standard deductions each year, allowing them to deduct a significant amount of their income immediately.

Couples who file together can usually qualify for multiple tax credits such as the:

• Earned Income Tax Credit
• American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Education Tax Credits
• Exclusion or credit for adoption expenses
• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

Joint filers mostly receive higher income thresholds for certain taxes and deductions—this means they can earn a larger amount of income and potentially qualify for certain tax breaks.

Consequences of filing your tax returns separately

On the other hand, couples who file separately receive few tax considerations. Separate tax returns may give you a higher tax with a higher tax rate. The standard deduction for separate filers is far lower than that offered to joint filers.

• In 2019, married filing separately taxpayers only receive a standard deduction of $12,200 compared to the $24,400 offered to those who filed jointly.
• If you file a separate return from your spouse, you are automatically disqualified from several of the tax deductions and credits mentioned earlier.
• In addition, separate filers are usually limited to a smaller IRA contribution deduction.
• They also cannot take the deduction for student loan interest.
• The capital loss deduction limit is $1,500 each when filing separately, instead of $3,000 on a joint return.

Here are the credits you lose by filing separately.