New immigrant come this year

[Nazmul]

I got married in 2018 in overseas. She got visa 2021. She entered the USA January 20 2021. My question is: Do I need to do join file this year or Is okay if I wait for next year?

[ThomasM125 · Accepted solution]

You can file a joint tax return in 2020 if your spouse has an ITIN or social security number and you include her income on your tax return. Otherwise, you should file as married-separate or head of household if you have dependents that will allow you to qualify as such. 

You cannot file as single if you are married. 

[Nazmul]

Thank you for really. Yes she has SSN but the problem with she was not live with me in 2020. Still I have to do join file. 

[ToddL99]

Your wife does not have to live with you in order to file a joint return.

Your options are to file as Married, Filing Separately ("separate") and  Married, Filing Jointly ("joint").

Married, Filing Jointly is usually more beneficial, but you would have to include her foreign income on the U.S. return and pay U.S. tax on that income. 

[Nazmul]

She was student. She did not have any income. 

[ToddL99]

As stated before, your options are to file as Married, Filing Separately ("separate") and  Married, Filing Jointly ("joint").

Since she has a SSN and no income,  Married, Filing Jointly is probably your best option.

Generally, filing jointly will give you a bigger refund or less taxes due. When you file separately, your tax rate is higher and you won't be able to claim:

• Education benefits
• Earned Income Credit (EIC)
• Child and Dependent Care Credit (usually)
• Adoption Credit (usually)
• The same benefit married filing jointly couples get for itemized deductions, the Child Tax Credit, and capital losses (all of these deductions are reduced by half)
• The standard deduction if your spouse is claiming itemized deductions

The following post gives you the steps to compare which filing status is better: 

How can we compare married filing jointly with married filing separately?.