<prompt> Human: We both file 0 for ExcemptionsWithholds on our W2s W4s, and make just about the same yearly - yet I ended up owing albeit not much and she got a pretty nice refund.FYI we filed jointly, but we both ran our numbers through Turbo Tax before filing just to see where we were independent of each other, which is where we noticed the disparity.She mentioned that because I say Im Married for my Martial Status on my W2 W4 is the reason I get less taken out per pay period. Is this true? My understanding was that your Exemptions determine what is taken out for taxes, not your marital status.Thanks!  <response>: If you ran numbers in TT but using MFJ status while doing so, entering a W-2 information with just one income and one withholding amount wont give you a meaningful refund number -- because it would use the 12600 standard deduction and tell you a refund based on just one income, when in reality you have two incomes.Nonetheless, supposing this is what you did. It is possible that your wife appeared to get a refund and you appeared to be owing because her withholding was a lot more than yours. You can of course check that on your W-2s. Even though you had similar W-4 allowances setting, if she chose Single or Married but withhold at higher single rate box on hers, but you chose the Married box on yours, then youll find that her withholding was higher than yours.If you want to think about that as her getting a pretty nice refund you can, but it might be more accurate to say that her withholding was closer to accurate or perhaps too much, whereas you were underwithholding.The final result when you actually filed MFJ would take into account both your incomes and both your withholdings. You might have found you owed money, or you might have found you got a refund. If you want to adjust your W-4s, you may try the IRS Withholding Calculator and indicate that there are 2 jobs that you need to input information about. Or use the W-4 page 2 Two-EarnersMultiple Jobs worksheet.Even if you adjust your settings so that both of you are withholding adequately and appropriately, it will still be possible that if you enter only one W-2 into tax software, the interim result it will give you may show a refund when in reality you know your true refund is a lot less or you actually owe. 