Retirement tax questions

It depends.

If you live in the community property states of Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, or Wisconsin, you have to deal with community property allocations and adjustments, your spouse will have to reference your income.

Note that filing a joint Return will generally give you a bigger refund or less taxes due. Your tax rate is higher When you file separately and you won't be able to claim the following credit:

• Education benefits
• Earned Income Credit (EIC)
• Child and Dependent Care Credit (usually)
• Adoption Credit (usually)
• The same benefit married filing jointly couples get for personal exemptions, itemized deductions, the Child Tax Credit, and capital losses (all of these deductions are reduced by half)