I filed married filing separately for federal. Can I file married filing jointly for local taxes?

[MarilynG1]

That depends.  Some states allow a MFJ return, even if Federal was filed as MFS.  What state are you in?

[kathyhoch-rcn-co]

Pennsylvania

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

If you are filing local taxes for the state of PA, for many of the jurisdictions, yes, even if you file on the same paper, you are filing separately for many of the jurisdictions that Berkheimer covers.  If you are in a city such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Erie or even Lycoming county, they have their own rules so you will need to check with your local tax office to determine what you can do for local taxes. 

For PA, you can file separately even if filing jointly for your federal return. PA does require separate returns for those who have different residency statuses.