How to Choose Your Tax Filing Status if You’re Married

If you’re married then you’ve probably just always filed a joint return with your spouse. In fact, chances are you’ve never even considered filing any other way. However, for some people, married filing jointly is not the best option. Depending on your situation, it could be more advantageous to file separately. Here are some things to consider when choosing what filing status to use if you are married.

While in many cases, filing together could help lessen the tax hit on you and your spouse it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, the only advantage of filing jointly is that you only have to worry about one return. If you and your spouse both work and one of you earns a lot more than the other, then it will typically be better to file jointly, as it will usually help reduce your combined tax bill.

On the other hand, there are other circumstances wherein it that might better to file separately. For example, if you both have taxable income and one of you has a lot of itemized deductions limited by adjusted gross income (AGI), then it might make sense to file separately. That’s because by filing separately, you can also separate both of your AGI’s. If your AGIs are lower on your separate returns, you can save on your tax bill.

This is just one example of where filing separately from your spouse could be helpful. However, it’s best to weigh all your options before making that choice. If you’re not sure what status to choose, you can contact us at GROCO for help. We’ll look at all the numbers and all the possible scenarios and choose the best path for you. Call us at 1-877-CPA-2006, or click here.

Posted in
Testimonials

Testimonials

Testimonials Over the years, the partners and staff at GROCO® have earned the appreciation and respect of their clients. This has been achieved through hard work, expertise, and a dedication to excellent service. Read the following testimonials to see how GROCO® has succeeded in not only meeting but surpassing client expectations. Do you a have…

Mortgage Refinance with bad credit

A Mortgage Refinance with Bad Credit – The Pros and Cons

A Mortgage Refinance with Bad Credit – The Pros and Cons To many, the term ‘bad credit’ is the end of the world when it comes to getting financing in the near future. However, it doesn’t always have to be like that, you can take the bad credit mortgage refinance option! Mortgage refinance vs. equity…

Deducting Job Search Expenses

Deducting Job Search Expenses

Deducting Job Search Expenses If you or someone in your family is looking for a new job, you should be aware of the income tax deduction that may be available with respect to job-search costs. Qualifying expenses are deductible even if they don’t result in a new position being offered or accepted. What are job…

india

Investing in India: Big Splashes and Little Drops

Investing in India: Big Splashes and Little Drops By Elizabeth Bowden-David Last week at our breakfast table here in India, the local business newspaper offered a back-to-back pair of attention-grabbing headlines. First, the homegrown e-retailer Flipkart announced that it had secured $1 billion in fresh capital to support its expansion strategy. The very next day,…