What is the most beneficial way for my husband and I to file?

[tsukami]

- Married Dec 2018
- 2 kids together
- Living together after Aug 1st 2019
- Mom paid 100% for kids prior to living together (Food, child care, school expenses)
- 2nd kid born July 2019
- Husband makes more
- We both claim 1 on our W4's
- Mom received STD during maternity leave for 2 months and continued to work part time

[Critter]

Most beneficial is to file jointly no matter where people lived or who helped with the bills.  And you claim your children as well.  

[Anonymous]

since you were still married on 12/31/19 your only choices are married filing joint or married filing separate (MFS).   generally in your situation a joint return is best.     if you file  MFS certain credits will not be available.  - earned income credit, child and dependent care credit.   certain other deductions and credits will be lost - education credits, student loan interest, phaseout of IRA deduction.

the fact that you weren't married until 2019, doesn't affect you ability to file a joint return 

[VolvoGirl]

She said married Dec 2018.  Did she mean 2019?  

And if you were married in 2018 you should have filed your 2018 return as Joint also.