Photo by Ed Yourdon on flickr.com
About once a year, after preparing a tax return I’m asked, “Does my husband/wife have to see this?” Well, the answer is, “Yes, and he/she has to sign it too.”
A lot of people never really look at their tax returns, but it’s important that you do, even if you’re not the bread winner. Your tax return has a lot of information about you and your financial situation. If your spouse is in trouble, and you sign the return, then you’re in trouble too.
Here’s the number one thing to look at so you don’t get caught unaware: Adjusted gross income. That’s going to be the number at the top of page 2 of your 1040 tax return (line 38). (It’s also at the bottom on page 1, line 37.) That’s all the money you make, including wages, business income, interest, gains from stock – everything. This is the number that should match your lifestyle. It’s the single most important number on your tax return (and you thought it was the refund didn’t you?) If you live in a million dollar mansion and drive a Porsche, and the adjusted gross income is only $20,000, you’ve got yourself a serious problem. Flip side, if you’re living in a shack and subsisting off of peanut butter sandwiches but the adjusted gross income number is $300,000, you need to ask yourself where all the money is going. It’s quite possible that your income numbers and lifestyle don’t match up and there could be a very legitimate reason for that, but you need to know what that is.
Of course, I recommend that you look at everything, and ask questions about anything you don’t understand. Here are three issues for you to check where you don’t need to know any math:
- Look at the address on the return. If it’s not yours, you need to be asking questions.
- Look at the names of the dependents. Do all the kids live with you? If not, does your spouse have a legal right to claim any children that are listed? Earned Income Credit Tax fraud is a big deal, and if you sign the return, it’s your problem too.
- Also, look at the back of the return. Is the refund being direct deposited into your joint checking account? If not, where’s the money going and why?
One more thing that might give you pause to think would be on line 21: Other Income. This could be just about anything, but it’s where the gambling income goes. Most gamblers have a number on their Schedule A for the same amount to claim gambling losses, it would go on line 28. You can’t claim a bigger deduction than the amount of gambling money you win. If your lifestyle isn’t matching your adjusted gross income and you’ve got gambling on your tax return – your spouse’s losses could be much larger than what’s reported on your taxes.
In today’s economy, it’s important to be aware of your family’s full financial picture. For some couples, talking about money is difficult. You can use your tax return as a convenient way to open up the discussion. If there are money problems, you should come up with solutions as a team. That’s what marriage is supposed to be about anyway.