Tax Tips For Newly Married Couples

Generally a married person has two options for filing tax returns – joint or marred filing separately.  If the taxpayer files married filing separate and her spouse owes delinquent taxes, the IRS cannot seize any

 

refunds to which she is entitled. However, if she files a joint return with her husband, the IRS can seize the entire refund for his past taxes.  The IRS has recently published a Tax Tip for newly married people (Tax Tip 2011-20).  Some of these tips are (1) file a change of address form (form 8822) with the IRS, (2) check your withholding and file a new W-4 if necessary and (3) review deductions to see if you should file Schedule A – itemized deductions.  Also, if both parties work, they should often prepare their returns both ways (i.e. married filing separate and joint) to see which results in the lower tax.