A refund is amount overpaid after taxes due is calculated. Married filing jointly has a higher standard deduction however you also claim both incomes. It is a myth that married couples get higher refunds than single. Sometimes the joint income puts the couple in a higher tax bracket therefore a higher rate of taxes. Now that you are married you must file a married return regardless. You may opt to file married separately but this filing option generally yields lower refunds than the joint option because it makes the household ineligible for certain credits.