Marrie Filing Separately, and I owe nothing due to having low social-security-only income. Do I actually need to file my return?

[DoninGA]

If the Social Security benefits were the Only income you received in 2023 and the amount in box 5 of the SSA-1099 was $13,850 or less then you do not need to file a tax return.

Unless you also received a Form 1095-A for your health insurance through one of the State Marketplace Exchanges or from healthcare.gov then you must file a tax return.

[xmasbaby0]

Yes--you do have to file.   When you file MFS you both have to file ----even if your only income was Social Security.  And.....sorry ---but that filing status can make your SS taxable.

Why are you filing separate returns?  That is usually the worst way to file.

If you were legally married at the end of 2023 your filing choices are married filing jointly or married filing separately.

Married Filing Jointly is usually better, even if one spouse had little or no income. When you file a joint return, you and your spouse will get the married filing jointly standard deduction of $27,700 (+$1500 for each spouse 65 or older)  You are eligible for more credits including education credits, earned income credit, child and dependent care credit, and a larger income limit to receive the child tax credit. 

If you choose to file married filing separately, both spouses have to file the same way—either you both itemize or you both use standard deduction. Your tax rate will be higher than on a joint return.

 Some of the special rules for filing separately include: you cannot get earned income credit, education credits, adoption credits, or deductions for student loan interest. A higher percent of your Social Security benefits may be taxable. Your limit for SALT (state and local taxes and sales tax) will be only $5000 per spouse. In many cases you will not be able to take the child and dependent care credit. The amount you can contribute to a retirement account will be affected. If you live in a community property state, you will be required to provide additional information regarding your spouse’s income. ( Community property states:  AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI)

 If  you are using online TurboTax to prepare your returns, you will need to prepare two separate returns and pay twice since with online, you get one return per fee.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894449-married-filing-jointly-vs-married-filing-separately

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901162-married-filing-separately-in-community-property-states

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894449-is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-separ...

[scottechner22519]

Thank you for the reply.  A clarification, though:  Yes, SS is my only income, but Box 5 is actually over $20,000; however the "taxable" portion (as calculated by Turbotax) is indeed below the $13,850 exemption level.  So I normally wouldn't have to file the return.   But since I'm filing as "Married Filing Separately", I wasn't sure if not filing (while my wife does) would raise any red flag.

[scottechner22519]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply!   I appreciate your effort regarding the advantages of a joint return, but there are some marital situations which just prevent doing so....no need to elaborate any further :(

However, with regards to filing - yes, a portion of my SS-only income IS taxable, but it's still below the $13,850 exemption - so I indeed owe no taxes.  You STILL say that not filing will be a red flag?

[DoninGA]

@scottechner22519 Since you are below the $13,850 standard deduction you do not need to file a tax return.  This is common and will not cause an issue with the IRS.