you\u2019re getting married, taxes are probably the last thing you want to think about. However, it is still important to understand the tax consequences of marriage. This article explains some basic tax considerations for newlyweds.<\/p>\n
>> Start Your FREE E-file<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n When you file an income tax return<\/a>, the name(s) and Social Security number(s) on your form must match your records at the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you change your name when you get married, you must report it to the SSA. You can report the change by filing\u00a0Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card)<\/a>.<\/p>\n If your address changes, you must notify the IRS by filing\u00a0Form 8822 (Change of Address)<\/a>. You will also want to inform the U.S. Postal Service of the change, which can be done by visiting your local Post Office. You can also use the USPS website (USPS.com<\/a>) to request mail forwarding.<\/p>\n When your marital status changes, you will have to provide your employer with a new\u00a0Form W-4 (Employee\u2019s Withholding Allowance Certificate)<\/a>. Keep in mind, if both you and your spouse are employed, your combined annual income may push you into a higher\u00a0tax bracket<\/a>. If you need help filling out Form W-4, you can use the\u00a0IRS Withholding Calculator<\/a>\u00a0online tool to avoid having too little or too much Federal income tax withheld<\/a> from your paychecks. For more information, please refer to\u00a0IRS Publication 505 (Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your\u00a0filing status<\/a>\u00a0is a determining factor when it comes to your tax liability, filing requirements, and eligibility for various\u00a0tax deductions<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0tax credits<\/a>. There are five different filing statuses: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, and qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. If you find that more than one filing status applies to you, you can use whichever one offers you the most tax benefits.<\/p>\n For Federal tax purposes, if you are married at any point during a given year, you are considered \u2018married\u2019 for the entire tax year. So even if you get married on the last day of the year (e.g., December 31, 2018), you are considered married for tax year 2018.<\/p>\n In general, married couples have the option of filing a joint tax return or separate returns. An exception is if one spouse is a nonresident alien, in which case the couple\u00a0must\u00a0file separately. Aside from that, most couples find that their income tax liability is lower if they file jointly, as opposed to filing separately.<\/p>\n On a joint tax return, a married couple must report their combined income and deductions. Note that you can file a joint return even if one spouse has no income or deductions. Also keep in mind, the standard deduction may be higher for joint filers, and you may qualify for a variety of tax benefits that would not otherwise apply.<\/p>\n Joint filers must both use the same tax year on their return, but each spouse is allowed to use different accounting methods. Both spouses must sign a joint return \u2014 though you may sign for your spouse (with a note of explanation) if he\/she is serving in a combat zone for the U.S. Armed Forces.<\/p>\n It is important to remember that filing jointly means you will both be held accountable for all the information reported on the\u00a0tax return<\/a>. Furthermore, you can be held jointly liable for all the taxes, interest<\/a>, and penalties incurred on income earned by your spouse. (In a situation like that, you may want to consider filing for Innocent Spouse Relief. For more information about Innocent Spouse Relief, please refer to\u00a0IRS Publication 971<\/a>.)<\/p>\n If one spouse brings tax problems from prior years into a new marriage, these previous issues should not affect their new spouse. Consequently, pre-existing tax problems should not affect the decision about whether to file jointly or separately. The spouse who doesn\u2019t have prior tax issues should look into requesting Injured Spouse Allocation. For more information about Injured Spouse Allocation, please refer to\u00a0IRS Form 8379<\/a>\u00a0and its\u00a0Instructions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s in your advantage to file separate tax returns instead. This may be true if you think that your spouse is not honestly reporting their income or deductions. It can also apply if your spouse is having too little\u00a0Federal income tax withheld<\/a>\u00a0from their paychecks, or if he\/she isn\u2019t making proper quarterly estimated tax payments<\/a>. In certain instances \u2014 for example, if one spouse has high medical expenses or other deductions limited by Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) \u2014 filing separately can result in owing less tax.<\/p>\n However, there are a number of special rules that come with the \u201cmarried filing separately\u201d status, which tend to result in higher taxes for most people. Separate filers are often excluded from tax breaks that joint filers are eligible for, such as the Earned Income Credit and deductions for education expenses<\/a>. If a couple elects to file separately, only one parent may claim their child as a dependent \u2014 even if both parents are equally contributing to the child\u2019s support. Also for separate filers, if one spouse itemizes their deductions, the other spouse cannot claim the standard deduction.<\/p>\n There are currently nine states with community property laws: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you live in one of these states and you choose to file separate returns, the community property laws of your state will govern how you calculate your income on your Federal income tax return. Note that you will have to determine your community income as well as your separate income. For more information, please refer to\u00a0IRS Publication 555 (Community Property)<\/a>.<\/p>\nName and Address Changes<\/h2>\n
Withholding Tax Changes<\/h2>\n
Changes in Filing Status<\/h2>\n
Married Filing Jointly<\/h2>\n
Married Filing Separately<\/h2>\n
Same-Sex Couples and Domestic Partners<\/h2>\n