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SlowFlowPro
Stanford Fan
Simple Solutions to Complex Probs
Member since Jan 2004
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CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.

I'm self-employed and typically write a check every year by being bad with keeping up with my quarterlies and a fluctuating/increasing income.

My wife is salary and we were married last year and she's trying to update the withholdings. We are likely going to file married-separately for 2022 as we basically split the year and she likes her return. I imagine we will be filing married-jointly for 2023 (hence the possible revision in W4/L4).

So just glancing at the L4, I imagine she should select 1 so she gets to claim her exemption/withholding and it stays about the same as she's expected previously. 2 would take more out every check, correct?

Would filing married-joint or married-separate change this?


nfcpa
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2009
12 posts

re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
If you don’t have a pre-nup and you live in Louisiana, then all your income is likely community property. That means filing separately makes no sense in 99.9% of the cases. All you’ll do is complicate your tax filings and make guys like me rich for no good reason.
Take last years tax amount and divide it by your joint taxable income. Use that percentage to withhold for federal and state taxes. Blow off the W4 and L4. They’ll confuse the hell out of you. Get with your payroll department and play with the numbers until you arrive at the desired percentages. You’ll hit your taxes close every time.


armsdealer
New Orleans Pelicans Fan
Member since Feb 2016
11148 posts
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re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
quote:

That means filing separately makes no sense in 99.9% of the cases


I find it hard to believe that only 0.01% of married Louisianan people work for a non profit and have federal student loans. Those people are probably better off filing separate and pursuing PSLF.


jordan21210
USA Fan
Member since Apr 2009
12779 posts
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re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
quote:

If you don’t have a pre-nup and you live in Louisiana, then all your income is likely community property. That means filing separately makes no sense in 99.9% of the cases. All you’ll do is complicate your tax filings and make guys like me rich for no good reason. Take last years tax amount and divide it by your joint taxable income. Use that percentage to withhold for federal and state taxes. Blow off the W4 and L4. They’ll confuse the hell out of you. Get with your payroll department and play with the numbers until you arrive at the desired percentages. You’ll hit your taxes close every time.

This.

MFS rarely yields a benefit. As mentioned, you’re creating twice the work for marginal or no benefit. If you have a CPA, it might be worth your money to have them run a comparison if you really want to know.

For withholding, I agree with figuring the % to withhold. Look at last year, or this year, and say okay I withheld 3% of joint LA taxable income and it wasn’t enough then bump the % up until you’re covered or close.


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slackster
Stanford Fan
Houston
Member since Mar 2009
81011 posts

re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
quote:

So just glancing at the L4, I imagine she should select 1 so she gets to claim her exemption/withholding and it stays about the same as she's expected previously. 2 would take more out every check, correct?


2 would take less out. The higher the numbers in box A or B, the less they withhold.

I hate the L-4. It doesn’t really allow for the finite adjustments you can make on the W-4 since it’s just a number of exemptions rather than the dollar deductions/additions you can make on the W-4. Step 4 in the W-4 let’s you get it down to the dollar if you pay attention and make the proper adjustments.


SlowFlowPro
Stanford Fan
Simple Solutions to Complex Probs
Member since Jan 2004
403972 posts
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re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
Yes this isn't my concern and I don't know if I've ever filled out an L4. I haven't been employed by someone else in 10 years.

My CPA is too busy to talk about this now but I'll schedule something after tax season. This would only affect 2023 anyway.


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SlowFlowPro
Stanford Fan
Simple Solutions to Complex Probs
Member since Jan 2004
403972 posts
 Online 

re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
quote:

Those people are probably better off filing separate and pursuing PSLF.




LSUFanHouston
LSU Fan
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
33699 posts

re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
PSLF - the idea is you tie this with income based repayment.

Often filing MFS even in a community property state yields a lower repayment amount.

Then you roll until 10 years on the clock and file for PSLf which forgives the balance of the loan.


SlowFlowPro
Stanford Fan
Simple Solutions to Complex Probs
Member since Jan 2004
403972 posts
 Online 

re: CPA Question about Louisiana L4 Form/W4 and spouses filing jointly or separately.
Oh I know what PSFL is and, after reading the comment I did some Googling and that seems to be the icing on the cake.


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