how a joint return works
a joint return permits eligible taxpayers to figure out their taxes using favorable joint return tax brackets tax rates and tax benefits as a result married couples who file a joint return generally pay a lower overall tax than married couples who file two separate returns 1who is eligible to file a joint returnto file a joint return the taxpayers filing status must be either married filing jointly mfj or qualifying widow er qw to be eligible for the married filing jointly mfj filing status the taxpayers must be legally married to each other on or before the last day of the tax year and both must agree to file and must sign the joint return 2to qualify as qualifying widow er qw the taxpayer s spouse must have died in either of the two prior tax years and the taxpayer must maintain a household for a dependent child 2also nonresident aliens generally cannot file as married filing jointly if either spouse was a nonresident alien at any time during the tax year definition of married in a joint returnwhether or not taxpayers are considered married on the last day of the tax year is decided by the law of the applicable state or jurisdiction same sex marriages that are legally entered into are recognized for all federal tax purposes 3taxpayers who divorce or separate under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance that is final at any point during the tax year are considered unmarried for that entire year and cannot file a joint return 4benefits of a joint returntaxpayers who are married and not widowed must choose one of two filing statuses married filing jointly mfj or married filing separately mfs filing jointly is likely to result in less tax if one spouse earns most of the income and deductions will not be itemized 4 filing separately may result in less tax if both spouses earn the same income and if one or both have medical expenses casualty losses or miscellaneous deductions since joint and separate tax rates are likely to be the same and since adjusted gross income floors will be lower any time both spouses earn taxable income the tax should be figured both jointly and separately and a return filed using the status that provides the lowest tax 4 