The filing status on the W-4 you give to your employer for withholding federal income taxes from your wages has no relevance whatsoever on the filing status you report on your tax return.
When you are legally married and living together you can file your tax return as Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. You would want to file a MFJ even if your spouse has little or no income. You get the best outcome from a tax standpoint when filing jointly. The Standard Deduction is higher meaning more of your income is not taxed and your tax brackets are lower overall in comparison to the other filing status'.
Standard deductions for 2024
Single - $14,600 add $1,850 if age 65 or older
Married Filing Separately - $14,600 add $1,550 if age 65 or older
Married Filing Jointly - $29,200 add $1,550 for each spouse age 65 or older
Head of Household - $21,900 add $1,950 if age 65 or older
Tax brackets for 2024 - https://www.bankrate.com/taxes/tax-brackets/
See this TurboTax support FAQ for filing jointly versus separately - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/better-married-couple-file-join...
This answer has been verified for accuracy by an Intuit expert employee
