When asked if my spouse and I lived together from July 2022 through December 2022, how do I answer if we did not live together until we were married on September 2?

[wakefielddowns]

Does it mean lived together the whole time? This affects whether or not I get EIC.

[xmasbaby0]

If you file a joint return you might still get EIC if your combined income qualifies.  Your only other filing choice if you were legally married at the end of 2022 is married filing separately which would automatically disqualify your for EIC.

If you were legally married at the end of 2022 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 $25,900 (+$1400 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...

[JulieS]

Yes, you need to answer Yes, if you lived with your spouse at all during the last half of the year. 

The purpose of this question is the see if you can claim Head of Household status. Married taxpayers who live together are not eligible to claim Head of Household. Your options are Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. 

As xmasbaby0 points out, you may qualify for Earned Income Credit, if you file jointly, and your joint income qualifies.