How to File Taxes Jointly or Separately When Married With Dependents
The federal government recognizes that caring for children or aging parents can be expensive and allows you to claim various deductions for your dependents on your taxes. If your dependents qualify, taking these deductions is simple. No additional forms are required. You can take the deduction on your Form 1040.
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Instructions
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File Form 1040 or 1040A. These tax forms allow you to deduct your dependents. Form 1040EZ does not allow you to do so.
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Determine your filing status. Married couples can file jointly or separately. Each filing status offers some advantages. If one spouse had substantial medical expenses, casualty losses or miscellaneous itemized deductions, it might be advantageous to file separately. On the other hand, certain credits such as the child and dependent care credit are only available to married taxpayers who file jointly.
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Verify that the dependent children you claim qualify for the deduction. A dependent child must be a son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of any of them. The child must be younger than 19 at the end of the tax year, or younger than 24 and a student, or permanently disabled. The child must have lived with you for more than half the year and you must have provided more than half of the child's financial support. The child cannot be claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer's return.
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Verify that a dependent relative qualifies for the deduction. According to the IRS, a dependent adult must be a relative who lived with you for most of the year. The person must not be claimed by another taxpayer, and the adult must have an income of less than $3,650 (for 2010). You must have provided more than half of the person's financial support during the year.
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Enter each dependent's name, Social Security number and relationship to you on line 6c of Form 1040 or 1040A. Enter the total number of your dependents on line 6d. If you are married but file separate returns, only one spouse can claim the dependents as deductions. If you attempt to split the expenses, it will trigger an audit because you are both claiming the same dependent.
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Multiply the total number of dependents claimed on line 6d of your tax form by $3,650 and ensure that your adjusted gross income is less than $125,100 (for 2009). Carry the total to line 42 and deduct from your income. The result is your taxable income. If you are married and your income exceeds the threshold, consider filing separately and allowing the spouse with less income to claim the dependents.
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Claim the child tax credit. If the dependent is a child, you may be eligible for this tax credit. A qualifying child must be younger than 17 and a legal resident of the United States to qualify for the additional tax credit. Your adjusted gross income must be less than $110,000.
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Check for additional deductions. You may be eligible for other deductions related to your dependents. These deductions include things like child care and medical expenses for your dependents that you can deduct on your taxes. To maximize your tax savings, calculate your taxes for both filing statuses -- married filing jointly and married filing separately -- and see which method provides the lowest tax liability.
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References
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