What each filing status means for you and your spouse.

Key takeaways: 

• If you get married at any point in 2025, you can file your taxes jointly. 
• Couples filing jointly in 2025 receive a $31,500 standard deduction, which is larger than married filing separately of $15,750. 
• Married couples must file jointly to qualify for some tax credits and deductions.

Your wedding vows may have included, “For richer, for poorer,” but when tax season arrives, that promise takes on a whole new meaning.

Once married, you face an important choice: will you and your spouse file your taxes separately or together?

The married filing jointly status offers many benefits, including a larger standard deduction and higher income thresholds. But, just like marriage, your tax status isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

Let’s review the pros and cons of filing jointly or separately and the reasons why couples may choose one status over the other.

Typically, the IRS considers you married for the entire year, even if you don’t get married until the last day of the year. So, if you are legally married as of December 31st, then you must file as either married filing jointly or married filing separately. 

Let’s review the pros and cons of filing jointly or separately and the reasons why couples may choose one status over the other. 

What does married filing jointly mean?

When you file as married filing jointly, you and your spouse combine the following tax items on a single return, all subject to the same tax rates:

• Income
• Credits
• Deductions

For most couples, filing jointly often benefits family taxes and decreases what the two of you owe. It also includes tax benefits like earned income credits and educational credits.

If you are owed a tax refund, you can choose to receive it as a direct deposit to one or more checking or savings accounts. A federal mandate required the IRS to stop issuing paper checks as of September 30, 2025.

It’s important to remember that choosing to file married filing jointly also means you’re on the hook for any taxes, interest, and/or penalties due to the IRS from your spouse, and vice versa.

Am I eligible to file as married filing jointly?

You’re eligible to use married filing jointly if you: 

• You were married at any point in 2025. Even if your wedding was on December 31, 2025, you can file a joint tax return for 2025. 
• Your spouse passed away during 2025 and you did not remarry. 
• You live with your spouse in a state that recognizes common-law marriages, or began your relationship in a state that recognizes common-law marriages.
• You live apart from your spouse, but are not legally separated.

If you get divorced at any time in the year, you’re considered unmarried for all of 2025. For example, if your divorce was finalized on December 31st, you’d be considered unmarried for the entire year and would file your taxes as single.

And remember, all legally married couples can file a joint tax return, even if one spouse doesn’t have taxable income or deductions.

What does married filing separately mean?

Married filing separately means that you and your spouse each file individual tax returns.

Since you’re filing separately, you’re taxed solely on your individual income and must qualify for credits and deductions on your own. You may be ineligible to claim certain tax benefits, like the credit for childcare expenses or the earned income tax credit.

Married filing separately isn’t a mix and match; if one of you files separately, you both have to file separately. If you live in a community property state, additional requirements for reporting spousal income may apply if you file separately.

Pros & cons of filing married filing jointly

In general, couples who file married filing jointly vs separately receive more tax breaks, which means more money in your pocket at tax time. But there are benefits and drawbacks to using married filing jointly.

Pros of married filing jointly

Cons of married filing jointly

Largest standard deductions. If you take the standard deduction, couples filing jointly get the largest deduction, $31,500 for 2025, compared with $15,750 if filing separately. That’s a significant reduction in taxable income right from the start. Tax credits. To qualify for certain tax credits, couples must file a joint tax return. Larger income thresholds. Typically, if you file jointly, the IRS has a bigger income threshold for tax credits and deductions than if you were filing separately.

Double the paperwork. When you’re married and file jointly, you’ll need to file paperwork for both you and your spouse. That means double the W-2s, 1099s, and documentation to qualify for tax credits. Penalties, taxes, and interest. When you file jointly, you’re on the hook for penalties or interest your spouse incurs from the IRS, and vice versa.

Popular tax credits for couples married filing jointly

Couples who want to claim certain tax credits must file a joint tax return to qualify. Popular credits include: 

• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit up to 35% (or up to 50% starting in tax year 2026) of $6,000 in expenses for 2 or more qualifying dependents, $3,000 for one qualifying dependent 
• Earned Income Tax Credit up to $8,046 for a family with 3 or more kids
• American Opportunity Tax Credit up to $2,500 per eligible student
• Lifetime Learning Tax Credit up to $2,000 per tax return

Pros and cons of married filing separately

No two marriages are alike, and neither are your tax situations. It will depend on your finances, but you might receive a larger refund if you file separately, or your spouse may not live in the same state as you, making your taxes more complex.

Regardless of the motivation, there are pros and cons to using married filing separately at tax time.

Pros of married filing separately

Cons of married filing separately

Less paperwork. When married filing separately, you’re only responsible for your paperwork for the tax return, not your spouse’s. Potential for a larger return. It might be the case that using married filing separately nets you a larger return, whether that’s due to taxes and penalties your spouse owes the IRS, or they owe outstanding child support payments.

Lower standard deduction. The standard deduction for married filing separately is $15,750 for 2025. This is significantly lower than the standard deduction for married filing jointly of $31,500. Disqualification from tax credits and deductions. Some, not all, tax credits or deductions are only available to those married filing jointly. Must both itemize or take the standard deduction. Even if you’re married and filing separately, both you and your spouse can’t choose different methods. You’ll both need to itemize your deductions or take the standard deduction.

When filing separately makes sense

For most couples, filing taxes jointly makes sense most of the time. You get a bigger standard deduction and generally receive more tax breaks. But sometimes, submitting a married filing separate tax return makes sense.

Here’s when you might consider using married filing separately:

• Qualifying for the medical expense deduction. If you or your spouse has faced high out-of-pocket medical costs in the past year, you might try to qualify for the medical expense deduction. But, it may be the case that your combined income is too high to qualify, meaning you’d file separately so you or your spouse could qualify for the deduction. Medical expenses are part of itemized deductions and must exceed 7.5% of AGI. Remember, if one spouse chooses to itemize, both must itemize, even if the deductions for one spouse are not greater than the standard deduction.
• Your spouse has a significant tax bill. If your spouse’s tax bill is high, you might decide to file separately to protect your refund, instead of applying it to what your spouse owes the IRS.
• One of you has outstanding child support payments. If you or your spouse has not paid child support, filing separately would prevent the IRS from taking your potential refund.

FAQs for special situations

What if I live in a community property state?

CCommunity property includes all property acquired during your marriage. As of 2025, community property states include:

• Arizona
• California
• Idaho
• Louisiana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Texas
• Washington
• Wisconsin​

If you’re filing separately, these states require registered domestic partners to follow state community property laws and report your half of the community property income on your return.

What if I am recently widowed? 

When your spouse passes, you’re considered married for the entire year for tax purposes. If you don’t remarry in the year your spouse dies, you can file jointly with your deceased spouse. For two years after the year of the death, you may use the filing status of surviving spouse with a dependent if you remain unmarried or file as single.

What if I don’t live with my spouse? 

You don’t need to live with your spouse to use married filing jointly. The only exception is if you are legally separated, then you must file as single.

What if one of us doesn’t have income?

You can use married filing jointly regardless of taxable income or deductions.

How to decide which filing status to use? 

The best filing status will depend on your individual situation. Most married couples will benefit from opting for married filing jointly since tax rates can be lower, and there are more tax deductions and credits available when you file married filing jointly. 

But the right decision for you will depend on your finances and tax strategy. At tax time, TurboTax will guide you through choosing the right filing status for your situation.

We’ve got you covered

No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed.