My spouse and I have been separated since October but not divorced, do we have to file married filing jointly?

Regardless of the separation, any taxpayer who is married at the end of the tax year can elect to file separately. Reasons you may choose to file separately are:

1. No joint liability. Each spouse who signs a return is fully responsible for the accuracy of the return as well as payment of the tax. A spouse who files separately is not responsible for reporting or paying tax on items attributable to the other spouse.
2. Some couples pay less tax when they file separately. Depending on the income level of each spouse, certain expenses subject to a percentage limitation based on AGI may have a more beneficial tax impact by filing separately. Give us a call if would like assistance in determining how this would affect you.