Am I filing correctly?

j#adrb

I file married jointly every year. My spouse is unable to work anymore so when I do my taxes the only thing I get back is credits for our kid. Would it be better to file married filing jointly and she not just file? Looking to maximize returns or get anything back for me working

CarleneF

Typically, if you are married, you have two options to file: Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. When you file as Married Filing Jointly, it's like you are sharing a tax return and filing it together. If you file as Married Filing Separately, you would both need to file separate returns. In most basic cases, Married Filing Jointly will give you the best results.

The IRS has a helpful tool to help you determine which filing status would be best for you. You can find it here: https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-my-filing-status