filing jointly vs separately

[ffmike1907]

we have took out some loans to pay for or kids college years. I am listed as the sole owner of the loans totaling just over 100k. I consolidated the loans and signed up for the PSLF program and was told that if we filed jointly, our monthly payment would double. Is that accurate? we have been filing separately for the past several years while under the PSLF program. we really would like to get some money back as retirement is only 2 years away.

Please help. should we file jointly or continue filing separately??

Married Filing Separately or Jointly for K-1 & ROTH IRA distributions 

[MaryK4]

You can either file a joint income tax return with your spouse or file separately. Under the PSLF, they use your joint income if you and your spouse file a joint tax return and use only your income if you file taxes separately from your spouse.

[Mike9241]

As for the tax filing status itself, you’re pretty much trading off tax savings and deductions versus your monthly payment. Some people prefer filing separately to get a lower monthly payment, while others benefit more from tax savings by filing together even if the monthly repayment amount may be higher. This all depends on income, amount of your loans, etc. Consult a tax pro

[fsops]

If you file jointly you run into problems with the loan, file separately but be prepared to pay more taxes, this is a catch 22.