MFS Comparison
When I do what I expect to be an MFJ return I am careful to correctly mark everything as to whether it belongs to T or S. At the end I make one mouse click to compare MFS to MFJ. I have exactly once found that it was advantageous for the couple to file MFS and it was only a few keystrokes to prepare separate returns. By the way, I have done the couple for several years and it was only that one year when it benefited them to file separately.
I don't separately itemize for the MFS Check or for anything else I insist on doing and that a client might wish to tell me they did not want to pay for. Instead I build it into my other fees.
Here's another point about MFS. I read an article I think a couple years ago that persuaded me I ought to pressure couples to file separately if in my judgment one spouse is more likely than the other to be exaggerating deductions or under reporting income. The author I think wanted me to put all small business owners where the other spouse is not involved in the business in that category and he wanted me to flatly refuse to do MFJ in these risky situations. I don't go to either of those extremes but I have been known to ask them to sign a statement that they are choosing not to follow my advice to file MFS.
When I do what I expect to be an MFJ return I am careful to correctly mark everything as to whether it belongs to T or S. At the end I make one mouse click to compare MFS to MFJ. I have exactly once found that it was advantageous for the couple to file MFS and it was only a few keystrokes to prepare separate returns. By the way, I have done the couple for several years and it was only that one year when it benefited them to file separately.
I don't separately itemize for the MFS Check or for anything else I insist on doing and that a client might wish to tell me they did not want to pay for. Instead I build it into my other fees.
Here's another point about MFS. I read an article I think a couple years ago that persuaded me I ought to pressure couples to file separately if in my judgment one spouse is more likely than the other to be exaggerating deductions or under reporting income. The author I think wanted me to put all small business owners where the other spouse is not involved in the business in that category and he wanted me to flatly refuse to do MFJ in these risky situations. I don't go to either of those extremes but I have been known to ask them to sign a statement that they are choosing not to follow my advice to file MFS.
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