Mark Steber Filing Quotations

In general, preparing a return as a married couple filing jointly may give you the lowest tax liability and the highest standard deduction, but to find the best scenario, it's wise to calculate your return both ways and see which is the most advantageous for you. For example, if both of your incomes are about the same, you may pay less in taxes by filing jointly, depending on the rest of your return.

This means that a couple with a joint taxable income of $80,000 this year will have $13,336 in tax, saving $145 from the previous year. Also, the standard deduction for married couples filing jointly has increased to $10,000 in 2005, from $9,700 in 2004. This change will be most significant for couples that do not itemize their deductions.