Tax Questions for December Bride

HouaBudgetSavvy

Hi Knotties!

I was a previous Knotties and just got married this past December. I wanted to know how you and DH are going about filing for tax for 2010.

We got married on 12/11/10.  I've read everywhere that your martial status is determined by the year ending of 12/31.  So even if we just got married on 12/11 IRS will considered us as a married couple for the entire year.

I've also read in other forums, that depending on your situation you can file married but separate as long as you file jointly every year after.  Then i've heard you can file jointly.

How are some of you going about this? Please share for further insight

Thanks!

pirategal03

If you were married at any point in 2010, even just new year's eve, your options for 2010 tax filing are "married filing jointly" or "married filing separately" it is unlikely that "married filing separately" would yield a lower tax obligation, but sometimes it does happen.  You can have your accountant run the numbers both ways, or you can do it yourself using TurboTax or a similar program to see which way yeilds the lowest obligation.

An IRS Resource:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=105098,00.html

ETA: page 5 of this pdf may be helpful as well
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

jmp0930

My fiance' is a CPA and he said exactly what Mary said.

HouaBudgetSavvy

Thanks so much!  I just don't want to file incorrectly then down the road have to be penalized for it.  

I'll definitely check out all the websites once all the paperwork are here. 

squirrelcube

Thanks for posting this!  I myself am a late-year bride (we are getting married in November 2011) so I was stressing over how this would impact us next year.  That takes one worry off my mind!

ecuchika

Thanks for posting this.  I am going to talk to our tax person this year to see if we need to do anything special for next year (wedding June 4).  Never thought of it with all the other chaos going on.