Confused about filing taxes after marriage

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

My husband and I got married Aug 15th so we both need to fill out new W-4s at our jobs. I'm quite confused about what to put on the form as far as how many exemptions to claim and such. Also, I read on the W-4 "if married but legally separated or spouse is a nonresident alien check the 'single' box." Not sure now if I should put single or married. My husband is here on a J1 visa and we will be filing AOS for him.

I'm pretty lost when it comes to taxes at all but now with filing as married it's gotten more complicated. I figured some of you might have gone through it already so maybe you can shed some light on what's the best way to file?

[myangelblue 0]

i filed head of household when but on w2's i put single

[furiousng 2]

Tick the single. You can change it when his status changes after AOS. Besides you get more if they deduct as single and you file married. Hope this helps

[payxibka 10,045]

My husband and I got married Aug 15th so we both need to fill out new W-4s at our jobs. I'm quite confused about what to put on the form as far as how many exemptions to claim and such. Also, I read on the W-4 "if married but legally separated or spouse is a nonresident alien check the 'single' box." Not sure now if I should put single or married. My husband is here on a J1 visa and we will be filing AOS for him.

I'm pretty lost when it comes to taxes at all but now with filing as married it's gotten more complicated. I figured some of you might have gone through it already so maybe you can shed some light on what's the best way to file?

You could determine what your filing status will be as of the end of 2009 and prepare the W-4 accordingly..... Most likely your husband will be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes (if he has been in the USA for more than 173 days as of the end of the year). If so, then you could file Married Filing Joint

[Mary and Enrique 8]

I had not been married very long when I filed last year's taxes, so I filed them as single too, just because I was running out of time and figured it would be safer to claim less of a return in case I wasn't entitled to the marriage tax break (for my husband's status, or the short period of time we'd been married, or whatever).

That was not very well thought-out on my part, but finances ended up not being an issue at all in our AOS interview. I am still getting my single deduction taken out, but this year I will go to a tax professional to see how I should file now that our tax situation is more complicated. I would definitely recommend going to a professional when the time comes, just to be sure you're doing what you need to do and getting all you're entitled to.

So yeah, I agree that single on the w-4 is better -- although I don't think the government really cares about the deductions you elect as long as you're not dodging taxes you owe either up-front or when you actually file. Filing married when you're single might look shady on the W-4, and definitely *is* shady when it's time to settle up at the end of the year, but like others have said, indicating single on the W-4 just means that more will be withheld each month. You'll get it back at the end of the year if it does turn out you were paying more than necessary

Edited September 2, 2009 by mkpw

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

I had not been married very long when I filed last year's taxes, so I filed them as single too, just because I was running out of time and figured it would be safer to claim less of a return in case I wasn't entitled to the marriage tax break (for my husband's status, or the short period of time we'd been married, or whatever).

That was not very well thought-out on my part, but finances ended up not being an issue at all in our AOS interview. I am still getting my single deduction taken out, but this year I will go to a tax professional to see how I should file now that our tax situation is more complicated. I would definitely recommend going to a professional when the time comes, just to be sure you're doing what you need to do and getting all you're entitled to.

So yeah, I agree that single on the w-4 is better -- although I don't think the government really cares about the deductions you elect as long as you're not dodging taxes you owe either up-front or when you actually file. Filing married when you're single might look shady on the W-4, and definitely *is* shady when it's time to settle up at the end of the year, but like others have said, indicating single on the W-4 just means that more will be withheld each month. You'll get it back at the end of the year if it does turn out you were paying more than necessary

Thanks everyone for the help! On the W-4 it says I can either check "single" "married" or "married, but withhold at a higher single rate." I asked our human resources department and they said I could check the last option which wouldn't really effect how much taxes are being withheld compared to my current paychecks. Do you think this would work? I don't mind if they take out more than needed b/c then I'll get it back at the end of the year. I just don't want to OWE taxes.