If you are married and planning to take the itemized deductions, you will both need to itemize the deductions. You will split them based on how they are paid. If you have joint checking accounts that you pay the mortgage and taxes out of, then you would split the interest and taxes. If only one person pays the mortgage and property taxes, then they would be the one to claim the deduction for the interest and taxes.
The standard deduction for Married Filing Separately is $14,600. In order to benefit from the Mortgage interest and taxes paid, you would both need itemized expenses greater than $14,600.
Itemized expenses include mortgage interest, gambling losses up to winnings, charitable contributions, state and local taxes up to $10,000, medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of your AGI and casualty and losses in excess of 10% of you AGI with the first $100 not counting towards the loss. Your health insurance and all medical expenses are only deductible for the amount that is over 7.5% of your AGI. This means if your AGI is $50,000, then the amount that is over $3,750 is deductible.
Standard versus Itemized Deduction
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