I got married in April 2017, we closed on our house in October 2017 - I have always filled single and got back a good refund. We are thinking about filing separate

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Did you both use Turbo Tax last year?  You can not transfer from or combine 2 returns or accounts.  Just pick the return for the spouse that has the most complicated return to enter or has any depreciation or business or  more investments.  Or use the account for whoever you want to be listed first going forward (by the way you can not change the order of the names).   Then add the other spouse's name, ssn and info to it.

You should usually  file a Joint return which is only 1 return combined for the both of you.  Make sure to stick with this one account for the future.  Just ignore the other spouse's account.  

And info on Getting Married…..
http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Family/Getting-Married/INF12006.html

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

Unless you have a specific reason to file separate returns,
It is usually better to file Joint. Joint has the lowest tax rates and the highest Standard Deduction.   And if you are in a Community Property state MFS gets tricky to figure out.  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 then the other one must itemize too, even if it's less than the standard deduction, even if it is ZERO!  

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.

[SweetieJean]

You may have gotten a good refund solely because you had too much withheld.. And Married Filing Separately is not the same as Single. In my view, too many folks focus on the amount of the refund, rather than their actual tax liability. And why give the govt an interest free loan all yeat?

[trueblues32]

Thank you.  We both claim 0 throughout the year, just afraid I guess with our earnings and the house purchase of having to pay in

[trueblues32]

Thank you very much for the information

[VolvoGirl]

The house purchase should help you if you itemize deductions.  You can deduct the mortgage insterest and property tax.  But if you just bought in October you won't have a full year of interest to deduct so it might not help too much or be more than the Standard Deduction.  

On a Joint return you get a Standard Deduction of $12,700 plus another 1,250 for each spouse 65 or older.