filing status

[mhiciano]

Is it better to file jointly if married or seprately

[VolvoGirl]

Joint is almost always better.    Here's some things to consider about filing separately……

In the first place you each have to file a separate return, so that's two returns.  And if you are using the Online version that means using 2 accounts and paying the fees twice.  The Desktop CD/Download program would be better to use.

Many people think they come out better when filing Married Filing Separate but they are probably doing it wrong.  If one person itemizes deductions on Schedule A then the other one must itemize too, even if it's less than the standard deduction, even if it is ZERO!  And if you are in a Community Property state it can be complicated to figure out.

And there are several credits you can't take when filing separately, like the

EITC Earned Income Tax Credit

Child Care Credit

Educational Deductions and Credits

And contributions to IRA and ROTH IRA are limited when you file MFS.

Also if you file Married Filing Separately up to 85`% of your Social Security becomes taxable right away even with zero other income.

See …….

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/married/help/is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-...

[K M W]

For federal tax purposes, you are considered married based on your status as of the last day of the tax year, December 31.  Married individuals can file a joint return (MFJ)  or separate returns (MFS).

Generally speaking, a taxpayer will pay more tax by filing MFS, especially as certain tax benefits are not allowed on a MFS return, such as the Earned Income Credit, Child and Dependent Care Credit, Education Credits, and Student Loan Interest Deduction, among others tax benefits.

There certainly are reasons to consider filing a separate return, even if it does not produce the "best" income tax result.  If you were just looking at the income tax results of MFS vs MFJ, the only way to determine for sure for your specific situation is to run the tax returns both ways - in other words, prepare a mock return for you with a MFS filing status and a mock return for your spouse with a MFS filing status. Then, prepare a mock MFJ return, and compare the results.  Although usually MFJ is more advantageous from a tax perspective than MFS, there are some situations where the results can be better filing separately. But the only way to know for sure is to do the analysis both ways, based on your specific situation.

Keep in mind that you can run these mock returns in TurboTax Online - you only pay for Turbo Tax when you are ready to actually file, so you can "play around" in your account with different assumptions before deciding on a final course of action and filing that return. Just make sure to double check the return thoroughly to make sure in the end that the information in TurboTax matches how you have decided to file the return (i.e. if filing joint, it includes all the income and deductions for both of you, but if you decide to file separately, make sure the final return you are filing for yourself does not include any of your spouse's income or deductions).

One final thought - if you chose to file MFS and you live in a Community Property State, there are specific community property laws that will affect how you figure your income on your income tax return. For more information on filing a separate return in a Community Property State, see IRS Publication 555,located at this link: IRS Publication 555