My wife is unemployed is she considered a dependent?

posted

No. Unfortunately, the IRS doesn't allow you to claim your spouse as a dependent on a return, even if you completely supported her.

The good news is that you are still able to file a joint return with her, even if she had no income. For a joint return for tax year 2022, the Standard Deduction is $25,900 while on a Single status return, the Standard Deduction is only $12,950. By including her on the return as your spouse, you will have a higher Standard Deduction. This will help you to pay less taxes.

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