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.
Apple Not Ready to Bring Foreign Income Back to U.S. Anytime Soon
Apple Not Ready to Bring Foreign Income Back to U.S. Anytime Soon Despite all the wonderful products and groundbreaking technologies Apple has been responsible for over the years, the tech giant is certainly no stranger to criticism. That criticism comes in many forms, including from competitors and those who prefer competitors’ products. There are also…
Is Obama Secretly Trying to Raise the Death Tax Again?
Is Obama Secretly Trying to Raise the Death Tax Again? Democrats and Republicans have been battling over the estate, or death tax for decades. Democrats always push for a higher rate, while republicans would like to completely eliminate it. During the most recent Bush administration the death tax dropped from 55 percent to 45 percent…
Mark Cuban’s Take on Donald Trump’s Taxes
Mark Cuban’s Take on Donald Trump’s Taxes If you follow the presidential election then you know that this year’s run for the Oval Office is perhaps one of the most spite-filled elections our country has ever faced. According to many political pundits, talking heads in the media and dozens of poll results, the last two…
States to Avoid when Retiring
States to Avoid when Retiring Are you on the verge of retirement, or perhaps just a few more years away but you’re ready to start making some retirement plans? There are many things to consider when it comes time to retire, not the least of which where you choose to call home. For many people,…