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posted Mar 22, 2025 6:17:17 AM

Joint or separate

My husband owns his  own business, is the only employee. He owes taxes from previous years. I am employed full time and a full time student. We each own our own homes but live in my home. I have 1 dependent child. Should we file separate? I want a return rather than paying his taxes because he poorly managed what he owed through the year.

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1 Replies
Expert Alumni
Mar 22, 2025 6:28:26 AM

Filing separate returns in this situation would protect you from your husband's previous tax debts.  

 

Or, another choice could be to file a joint tax return and include the Injured Spouse form as part of your return.  That would prevent your refund from being seized to pay his tax debt.  

 

Take a look at the following TurboTax articles to learn more:

 

Is it better for a married couple to file jointly or separately?

 

How do I file Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation?