Brides Marrying Later This Year...

For those marrying later this year, will you be waiting to register your paperwork in 2007 so you'll start filing as 'married' next year instead of this year to avoid the marriage penalty? Yeah, it is real, and it will hurt most couples with a combined salary of low 100's and up.

Just curious as the IRS requires that you file as married for the entire year even if you are married for only one day - say if you marry on Dec 31st, 2006. And you can't prorate that.../

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

At this point, I think we are going to file separately for 2006, then together after that. Keeping it simple!

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

I think we will file separate for 2006

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

We actually thought we were going to file separately this year because we got married in November of '05 but we ended up getting ALOT more money back by filing married. We didn't pay a marriage penalty but I didn't work that much last year we might get hit in '06 because we will together make in the low 120s. We though still get the most money taken out of our checks just to play it safe.

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

Sorry to say once you are married you will have to file as a married. Either jointly or married filing separately it doesn't make a difference how long you are married just that you are married on the last day of the year.
Usually it doesn't make a difference to file married filing separately

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

Am I understanding this right. Since we are getting married this Sept, we have to file now as married? Sorry, I'm a little slow when it comes to taxes.

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

No when you file your 2006 taxes in April 07 you will have to file married. You are filing your 2005 taxes now and you are single.

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

Thanks for clarifying. I panicked a little bit, since we are counting on the size of that return without the penalty.

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

Our accountant told us that at least one of us should file as a 0 for 2006 so that we can file jointly when tax time rolls around. Lucky me, I'm the 0 and my paycheck is smaller (10 more months)...

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

---

Posted by reenielady

Sorry to say once you are married you will have to file as a married. Either jointly or married filing separately it doesn't make a difference how long you are married just that you are married on the last day of the year.
Usually it doesn't make a difference to file married filing separately

---

Actually, I have to clarify:

I'm wondering if those marrying later this year will hold off on registering with the city clerk until early 2007. Doing this will allow you to declare yourself single for this year (2006) instead of declaring yourself married (filing either jointly or separately.)

In most cases, couples earning in the low 100's and up WILL be penalized with the marriage penalty. You'll be able to claim less deductions, etc.

The reason I ask is because everyone seems overjoyed with the idea of being married until we find out that the tax consequences are extremely detrimental to us married couples. Not only will we have to fork out a bucket-load of dough for the wedding, but the next tax season, we will be slapped with a huge tax penalty as well. The gov't is not exactly encouraging marriage are they?

A financial advisor actually told me that the only way this will change is if:

1.) we all let the gov't know how unfair the tax penalty is

OR

2.) If we boycott marriage altogether.

Re: Brides Marrying Later This Year...

I know this is an old post, but I am very curious about the option of not registering with the city clerk until the following year...

Does this mean that since I'm having a church ceremony I could just do that and then do the civil/legal part the following year??? Is this even an option???