Newly Married? Here’s How It Affects Your Taxes.

I am the Senior Tax Advisor at Choice Tax Solutions Inc. I prepare taxes and represent taxpayers with IRS problems in New York City and the rest of the state (including all U.S. states and globally for U.S. people). I frequently work with newly married taxpayers.

Getting married changes a lot, and that includes taxes.

Here’s some things to be mindful of when you are newly married:

1. Update Your Name and Address

  • If either spouse changed their name, report it to the Social Security Administration using Form SS-5. When you file your taxes, your name must match your Social Security card.
  • Update your address with the IRS using Form 8822 and with the U.S. Postal Service.

2. Notify Your Employers

  • Update your Form W-4 with your employer to reflect your new filing status (Married Filing Jointly or Separately).
  • Adjust withholdings if both spouses work — the combined income may bump you into a higher tax bracket.

3. Review Your Filing Status

  • Most couples benefit from Married Filing Jointly, but compare with Married Filing Separately if:
    • One spouse has high medical expenses or miscellaneous deductions
    • There are student loan repayment issues (income-driven plans)
    • If one spouse is self-employed and the other spouse does not want to be responsible should there be an audit, filing separately may be a good idea.
    • Does one spouse always owe and the other always get refunds? No one likes a surprise at tax time. A good tax pro can run the tax returns both ways to see the result of a joint return vs. married filing separately.

4. Combine Financial Records

  • Collect income records (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) for both spouses.
  • Organize deductions and credits — charitable donations, mortgage interest, education costs, etc.

5. Choose Your Standard vs. Itemized Deduction

  • The standard deduction is higher for married couples ($29,200 for 2024, $30,000 for 2025)), which may change your decision to itemize.

6. Coordinate Health Insurance Reporting

  • If you’re on separate plans or switching to a spouse’s plan, make sure Form 1095-A/B/C is saved correctly.
  • Update Marketplace applications to avoid credit repayment issues (Premium Tax Credit reconciliation).

And here’s the most important thing – have that conversation with your spouse to see if there is any IRS tax debt from a prior year. Imagine filing your first joint return together, expecting a refund, and find that the money was taken by the IRS to pay off your spouse’s tax debt that you were never told about.

I am a contributor to numerous publications, including Brides, Martha Stewart Wedding and The Knot.

Need help navigating your first tax season as a married couple? Contact our office for professional guidance.

 

Abby Eisenkraft, EA, ATA, ATP, CRPC

Choice Tax Solutions Inc.

140 Broadway, 46th fl

New York, NY 10005

Tel. 347-598-0111

Email: abby@choice-tax.com

Website: www.choice-tax.com