Refund difference: Married Filing Separately vs Married Filing Jointly

[ServoMiff]

Originally Posted by Setchel

Too lazy to detail, but married filing jointly is almost always better. Especially if you have kids for the earned income tax credit.

I believe this to be true as well, and my wife and I have no kids and don't own a home. According to my CPA, MFS would have cost us an extra $89 on a $9400 total bill between state and federal. It's not a mind-blowing difference, but still more money that I could avoid paying by filing as MFJ.

[skaternum]

Run it both ways in Turbo Tax and find out.

[LowonLuck]

Originally Posted by Setchel

Too lazy to detail, but married filing jointly is almost always better. Especially if you have kids for the earned income tax credit.

I would think very few married couples with children qualify for EITC.

[SaucyAussie]

Originally Posted by LowonLuck

I would think very few married couples with children qualify for EITC.

Why would you think that? MFJ w/ 2kids, with a household income of $30K, will get you an EIC of around $4,300. Even $50K gets a small credit.

Did you mean without children? That would make sense.

[HudsonCoNJ]

I have friends who are married but file separately. I don't know the specifics of their income, but I would get that wife makes about half of what husband makes based on occupation. They said they file separately because wife's student loan payments are high and it works out better that way for them.