Filing Status

[jstvt02]

I am the only one with income. But my spouse has no income.

We have 1 child that turned 17 on 12/27.2021

1 chilld  22 yrs old in college

How do we determine if it is beneficial to file Joint or separately?

[DoninGA]

File as Married Filing Jointly as it is almost always the best way to file a tax return from a tax perspective when married even if one spouse has little or no income.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for filing jointly versus separately - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/married/help/is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-...

[AliciaP1]

Unless your earned income exceeds the Married Filing Jointly AGI limit for the Child Tax Credit, it is likely most beneficial to file jointly.  Not knowing the rest of your situation, Married Filing Jointly does tend to keep you eligible for the most credits and tax breaks.

DoninGA has provided a good link for comparison purposes.

Please see What is my tax filing status (single, married, etc.)? and What is the Child Tax Credit? for the most detailed information.