I Owe Joint Taxes with My Spouse: What Do You Do? Innocent Spouse Relief

If a joint tax return is filed by a married couple, and the taxes are not paid or the IRS comes in and audits – asserting that additional taxes are due – a spouse may be entitled to be excused or relieved from this joint liability under the IRS “innocent spouse” provisions. However, simply filing a joint tax return with a spouse does not mean the other spouse is “innocent” and entitled to relief.

By McNair Law Firm, P.A.  You may read the entire article HERE on JDSupra website

Married couples may file a joint federal income tax return together, reporting their joint income and expenses. The benefit of a joint return is that the overall tax rate may often be lower. However, if a joint return is filed, each of the spouses is fully and individually liable for all taxes that are required to be paid.

Married couples may also elect, instead, to separately file their own returns. The downside is the tax rate for each separately-filing spouse may be higher, but each spouse is only liable for his or her own taxes – a…