I am filing married filing separately do I use only my wages

[texasangelcpa]

Do I use only my w2 or divide wages for both myself and my spouse

[VolvoGirl]

Depends what state you are in.

And may I ask why you are filing separate returns?  Sometimes people don't realize the differences between filing  Joint and MFS.

 Here's some things to consider about filing separately……

In the first place you each have to file a separate return, so that's two returns.  And if you are using the Online version that means using 2 accounts and paying the fees twice.  

Many people think they come out better when filing Married Filing Separate but they are probably doing it wrong.  If one person itemizes deductions on Schedule A then the other one must itemize too, even if it's less than the standard deduction, even if it is ZERO!  And if you are in a Community Property state it can be complicated to figure out.

And there are several credits you can't take when filing separately, like the

EITC Earned Income Tax Credit

Child Care Credit

Educational Deductions and Credits

And contributions to IRA and ROTH IRA are limited when you file MFS.

Also if you file Married Filing Separately up to 85`% of your Social Security becomes taxable right away even with zero other income.

See …….

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/married/help/is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-...

[rjs]

If you file as married filing separately and you do not live in a community property state, you enter only your own W-2. If you live in a community property state you must report half of your wages and half of your spouse's wages. Form 8958 will be included in your tax return to show how you calculated the wages.

The community property states are Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Alaska, Tennessee, and South Dakota have elective community property. I don't know how that works. If you live in one of those states, and no one posts any additional information here, you should consult a local tax professional.