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Mom Confessions

Mom Confessions > See Active Posts - Let's Talk!

Taxes .... how is this possible??

Posted by

all_4_my_son

on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:52 AM

Silver Member

11 Replies

Okay, if DH and I file together, we only get roughly $600 back this year, and that's with the child tax credit for DS.

But, if we file separately, I get back about $400 and he gets $1350.....how is that possible? I thought it was better file jointly when married because you get more for doing so.....

It doesn't really matter though. Either way, the IRS keeps it because we owe from previous tax years.

Posted on CafeMom Mobile

Posted by

all_4_my_son

on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:52 AM

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by Anonymous on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:54 AM

This is our first year married and we filed jointly it sucks!

by Anonymous on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:54 AM

I don't know how it works I'm curious though I plan on getting married next month I get about 4000 back he got 700 so I wonder what next year will be like.

by Anonymous on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:55 AM

When you file separately are you both filing "married filing separately" or is one of you filing head of household?

by Anonymous on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:56 AM

Maybe we will hold off on the marriage...lol I like getting my tax return

Quoting Anonymous:

This is our first year married and we filed jointly it sucks!

The_Doodle

Gold Member on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:58 AM

I'm not sure about the specifics, but it helped us, too. I was filing us jointly and TurboTax suggested we file married but seperately. We went from owing the state 250 bucks to getting a 66 dollar return and our federal didn't change.

AngelaR

Member on Feb. 3, 2013 at 9:59 AM

I would file seperatly then just to pay off the debt sooner.

MissMysteriouss

on Feb. 3, 2013 at 10:00 AM

This.

OP, You have to file married filing separately. Filing head of household you automatically get more back. But that is not allowed once married.

I would double check both your filing statuses to make sure they are correct.

Plus only one of you can claim your child, not both..

Quoting Anonymous:

When you file separately are you both filing "married filing separately" or is one of you filing head of household?

Posted on CafeMom Mobile

Luna091306

Crystal on Feb. 3, 2013 at 10:04 AM

Really? That's odd. I figured if dh and file together we will get around 3300. If we filed seperately he will get 500 (if he claims ds) or owe 900 (if he doesn't claime ds). I will get 1000 (if I claim ds) and only 300 (if I don't claim ds). I'm sure you can guess which route we are taking.

knoxmomof2

Bronze Member on Feb. 3, 2013 at 10:06 AM

Make sure you're not seeing a negative balance on one of those.. I did that one year, used Taxact and *thought* it was showing a $900 return if we filed DHs separate. When I went back in, I realized that the way it appeared in the upper righthand corner didn't indicate a negative or something (it's been a year, I forget what exactly was off). Whatever you are using, go into the actual summary at the end, before you click through to file, and check it... it should show whether it's a refund or a pay-in amount or something?? Hope this makes sense...

If that's all correct, and you don't have children, that might have something to do with it? Google "when to file joint vs separately" or something like that and read some articles, they should help you figure out if your situation warrants it.