- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Is it possible for someone to file as single even if they're married?
Posted on 2/5/23 at 9:39 pm
Posted on 2/5/23 at 9:39 pm
The receptionist at my office is married. She was bragging at work about how she files as single b/c she gets a bigger refund than if she combines her income with her husband which would put them in a higher tax bracket. She probably makes about $45k a year, but with the standard deduction, it's probably about $33k right?
Is this really a thing? I don't see how it's beneficial at all.
Is this really a thing? I don't see how it's beneficial at all.
9
Posted on 2/5/23 at 9:50 pm to Greenie10
If you are married, you are supposed to file jointly or married filing single. There is an exception that applies to certain people who are seperated and have been seperated for the last 6 months of the tax year.
Having said that... there are certainly people who file single when they are married, and they just haven't been caught.
Having said that... there are certainly people who file single when they are married, and they just haven't been caught.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 1:54 pm to Greenie10
You actually lose certain benefits like dependent care credit and student loan interest deductions if you file as Married Filing Single versus Married Filing Jointly. It usually only makes sense if there is a huge income disparity or one spouse has exceptionally high medical expenses that year.
Are you sure that they are legally married? If they aren't but just present themselves as married, she may be filing HOH and claiming the kids.
Are you sure that they are legally married? If they aren't but just present themselves as married, she may be filing HOH and claiming the kids.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 1:58 pm to Greenie10
The only reason I have ever found someone want to file married filing separately is asset protection.
The two have large estates prior to getting married and want to keep it all separate or one has a risky business and wants to keep it all separate.
The two have large estates prior to getting married and want to keep it all separate or one has a risky business and wants to keep it all separate.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 1:59 pm to Lightning
quote:
You actually lose certain benefits like dependent care credit and student loan interest deductions if you file as Married Filing Single versus Married Filing Jointly. It usually only makes sense if there is a huge income disparity or one spouse has exceptionally high medical expenses that year.
Wealthy people who file this way don't get those benefits anyway.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:12 pm to Greenie10
quote:
She was bragging at work about how she files as single b/c she gets a bigger refund than if she combines her income with her husband which would put them in a higher tax bracket. She probably makes about $45k a year, but with the standard deduction, it's probably about $33k right?
She sounds like the kind of person who would pass up a raise because she doesn’t want to be in a higher tax bracket.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:14 pm to slackster
quote:
She sounds like the kind of person who would pass up a raise because she doesn’t want to be in a higher tax bracket.
Or buy something she doesn't need to get a tax writeoff.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:38 pm to Greenie10
Sounds like a marriage where they have separate finances and even though it is beneficial for them to file jointly, she doesn't want to lose her tax refund.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:40 pm to lsu13lsu
quote:
Or buy something she doesn't need to get a tax writeoff.
“But it’s deductible”
Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:52 pm to Greenie10
She may just be filing out her W-4 as single and 0, to take out more taxes throughout the year. So when they file as married to file taxes, she get a refund because of the withholdings throughout the year. Convinced herself it's a bonus vs lending gov a loan for a year.
Posted on 2/6/23 at 5:37 pm to LSUFanHouston
quote:
Having said that... there are certainly people who file single when they are married, and they just haven't been caught.
I know a baw who was doing this. He did get caught…and lost half of everything he owned.
Posted on 2/7/23 at 3:15 pm to Lightning
quote:
Are you sure that they are legally married? If they aren't but just present themselves as married, she may be filing HOH and claiming the kids.
I know plenty of people who do this. Boyfriend makes six figures, girlfriend makes around $40K so she claims HOH and the kids to get a refund of around $6-7K.
Posted on 2/7/23 at 4:13 pm to Greenie10
You can do this, all you have to do is bang your sister in law.
Posted on 2/7/23 at 4:23 pm to Greenie10
Why would being single matter?
The deduction is the same if you do married separately. Its diff when filing jointly. The only way i see this as being a good thing is if you are getting like head of household status instead of single. But this would be fraud in her case.
I think your coworker is lying.
Actually, after thinking about it. Im guessing its so one of them can itemize and one can do standard. But they shouldnt be doing this.
The deduction is the same if you do married separately. Its diff when filing jointly. The only way i see this as being a good thing is if you are getting like head of household status instead of single. But this would be fraud in her case.
I think your coworker is lying.
Actually, after thinking about it. Im guessing its so one of them can itemize and one can do standard. But they shouldnt be doing this.
This post was edited on 2/7/23 at 4:26 pm
Posted on 2/8/23 at 6:18 am to tgdk11
quote:
She may just be filing out her W-4 as single and 0, to take out more taxes throughout the year. So when they file as married to file taxes, she get a refund because of the withholdings throughout the year. Convinced herself it's a bonus vs lending gov a loan for a year.
Posted on 2/8/23 at 6:53 am to tgdk11
quote:
She may just be filing out her W-4 as single and 0, to take out more taxes throughout the year. So when they file as married to file taxes, she get a refund because of the withholdings throughout the year.
This, lol. People are idiots when it comes to taxes OP. Many people think that since they got a huge refund they did something right, when in reality all that often times means is they gave Uncle Sam a bigger loan of their own money.
It’s likely she is either lying, ignorant, or dumb. She probably got less on her paychecks all year then if she filed jointly and this is getting a bigger ‘refund’.
Posted on 2/8/23 at 9:35 am to baldona
In this situation, wouldn't filing as single for both put him in a higher tax bracket? So there total taxes owned for the couple would be more than if they filed as married jointly?
Posted on 2/8/23 at 5:16 pm to Greenie10
She could get an even bigger refund by withholding more throughout the year, which would be incredibly stupid.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News