what is married filing jointly 
married filing jointly is a tax filing status that allows a married couple to file a single tax return that records both of their taxable income deductions credits and exemptions the main alternative is married filing separately married filing jointly is generally a better choice for couples as it makes them eligible for some advantageous tax credits and deductions however separate filings are preferable in some cases for example if there is a great disparity in earned income between the two filing separately may allow the lower earner to maximize certain deductions 