How Terms of Taxes Change According to Marriage and Other Factors
The amount of taxes you pay for a given year are subject to many varying exceptions and changes based on your marital status, the number of dependents you claim, your resident status, and many other factors. If you need some help and clarification for your taxes, you may want to have a tax consultation with a service like TaxRise to get specific assistance on what you require so you are aware of the next steps to take. Here are some common factors that will affect how you file your taxes.
Marriage
If you are married or have been married at some point during the year for which you are filing, you may file your taxes as either married filing jointly (a joint form with your spouse) or married filing separately from your spouse. The terms of taxation will vary based on your filing status.
- Joint status can sometimes have the benefit of lowering income tax liability. Both partners signing the joint form are often held accountable for their declared taxes.
- Filing taxes separately makes each individual in the marriage responsible for their own income taxes. This can be beneficial if you require more control over your own finances.
- Married filing separately can also raise one individual’s taxes based on certain expenses.
- If you are married at any point in a given year, you are required to file your taxes with a married status, whether joint or separately.
- You may also file as head of household if you are married or as qualifying widow or widower if your spouse is deceased.
Divorce
After the dissolution of a marriage or a divorce, the agreement that you frame with, say, Palatine divorce lawyers, will have particulars that distinguish your properties and assets from your spouse’s. And those holdings may, based on the circumstance, be taxable. Here, the terms of taxation will see variation from when you’re in wedlock.
- When property is transferred between spouses as part of a divorce settlement, the transfer is generally not taxable. However, it’s important to make sure the transfers are properly documented and meet certain requirements to qualify for this tax-free treatment.
- If retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s or IRAs, are divided as part of a divorce settlement, special rules apply. Depending on how the accounts are divided and when the funds are withdrawn, taxes and penalties may be triggered.
- Dissipation of property refers to the wasting or squandering of marital assets. If one spouse engages in the dissipation of assets in Maryland divorce or before or during a divorce in any other state, there may be tax implications. For example, if a spouse sells a valuable asset and uses the proceeds for personal expenses, they may be responsible for paying taxes on any capital gains realized from the sale.
Resident Status
If you are not a permanent resident of the country you are filing taxes for, this will change how you file your taxes and what incomes you will declare. You may need to declare all income made worldwide, or only the income made in that particular country for that year. Filing non resident taxes can be complicated if you are new to the process, so it is important you thoroughly understand your status and what needs to be filed for that status.
- A non resident typically only needs to declare income made in that country. Normal residents have to declare income made all across the world.
- Some non residents may be considered a factual resident even if they have not been in the country for years. Factual residents often have to declare all income.
- One can be considered a resident if they own property, have spouses or dependants, pay subscriptions or memberships, etc.
Dependents and Children
You may also be eligible for certain tax exemptions of tax credits if you can claim eligible dependents when you file your taxes.
- You may receive tax credits if you have had to pay expenses related to childcare in the year, such as paying a childcare provider or business that provides childcare.
- You may also receive tax credits if you file your qualifying children or individuals who depend on you financially, although there are certain exceptions and qualifications you must meet in order to receive these benefits.
- You can also claim certain tax exemptions from your paychecks based on the number of eligible dependents you claim.
When filing your taxes, it is essential to consider your status as an individual in order to decide which filing statuses will work best for you and benefit you most financially.