Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Admitted NY Bar and US Tax Court, covers US international tax law. Filing a U.S. tax return when not required may seem unnecessary ...

At tax time, married couples have the choice to file jointly or separately. Filing jointly means combining your income, deductions and credits and submitting a single return — with both spouses ...

For federal income tax purposes, your marital status is determined under state law as of the last day of the calendar year. That matters when choosing your filing status. Your filing status is one of ...

Many tax-software companies have free tiers, but most only accept federal returns and a limited number of schedules. Through the end of February, TurboTax will process any state and federal returns ...

The tax filing status options include single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household and qualifying surviving spouse. Choosing a tax status can be harder than it looks, ...

Your status can have a big effect on your tax bill, which tax forms are required, and which tax deductions and credits you can claim. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our ...

Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic ...