Filing Jointly or Separately as a Married Couple: What’s the Difference?
When you file your tax return, a tax filing status must be chosen. This status is used to determine your standard deduction, tax rates, eligibility for certain tax breaks and your correct tax.
The five filing statuses are:
- Single
- Married filing jointly,
- Married filing separately,
- Head of household, and
- Qualifying surviving spouse.
If you’re married, you may wonder if you should file joint or separate tax returns. It depends on your individual tax situation.
In general, you should choose the filing status that results in the lowest tax. But keep in mind that, if you and your spouse file a joint return, each of you is “jointly and severally” liable for the tax on your combined income. And you’re both equally liable for any additional tax the IRS assesses, plus interest and most penalties. That means the IRS can come after either of you to collect the full amount.
Although there are “innocent spouse” provisions in the law that may offer relief, they have limitations. Therefore, even if a joint return results in less tax, some people may still choose to file separately if they want to only be responsible for their own tax. This might […]