My wife and I have 3 kids, and I want to file a married filing separately return. What do I select for where did the children live, with me, with her, or equally?

[mikeydsiu97]

My wife and I live together, I just think financially I will get more money back by filing separately. The question about where did the live is confusing, of course they lived with both of us because we are married living together.  How do I answer that question, and does it matter how I answer it?

[xmasbaby0]

What---you think you will get a bigger refund by filing separate returns with three children?  You lose child-related credits when you file MFS.

If you were legally married at the end of 2019 your filing choices are married filing jointly or married filing separately.

Married Filing Jointly is usually better, even if one spouse had little or no income. When you file a joint return, you and your spouse will get the married filing jointly standard deduction of $24,400 (+$1300 for each spouse 65 or older)  You are eligible for more credits including education credits, earned income credit, child and dependent care credit, and a larger income limit to receive the child tax credit.

If you choose to file married filing separately, both spouses have to file the same way—either you both itemize or you both use standard deduction. Your tax rate will be higher than on a joint return. Some of the special rules for filing separately include: you cannot get earned income credit, education credits, adoption credits, or deductions for student loan interest. A higher percent of your Social Security benefits may be taxable. Your limit for SALT (state and local taxes and sales tax) will be only $5000 per spouse. In many cases you will not be able to take the child and dependent care credit. The amount you can contribute to a retirement account will be affected. If you live in a community property state, you will be required to provide additional information regarding your spouse’s income. ( Community property states:  AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI)

If  you are using online TurboTax to prepare your returns, you will need to prepare two separate returns and pay twice.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894449-married-filing-jointly-vs-married-filing-separately

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901162-married-filing-separately-in-community-property-states

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

[Bsch4477]

Filing separately is usually not better than married. You can’t claim earned income credit or child care credit among other disadvantages. But to answer your question, you can divide up the kids anyway you agree. 

[Anonymous]

if you conclude that you will file as separate the children can be split between the returns any way you choose 

[mikeydsiu97]

Thanks to the standard deduction being so high I cannot itemize my deductions, and we pay an independent child care so I cannot write off my child care expenses.  I quickly did only my income and taking all the kids and my return was 2-3 times higher than married file jointly.  What I needed to know is the question about claiming the kids, the choices are lived in my home, lived in spouse home, and lived each both our homes, or something like that.  If I am married and live together with my wife, which option do I choose, lived in my home or lived in both our homes?

[xmasbaby0]

"I quickly did only my income and taking all the kids and my return was 2-3 times higher than married file jointly. "

May we ask what filing status you used when you claimed all the kids?   Did you actually say you were married filing separately -- or did you use Single by mistake?  Or head of household?

You are asking about living in "both our homes" --- Do you all live together?  Or do you have two different homes and live apart?   Your latest post is confusing.

And please explain  " we pay an independent child care so I cannot write off my child care expenses. " 

Why do you think you cannot claim your childcare expenses?