Bob Whiteside wrote:

I'm not a CPA, but I think I understand this stuff fairly well. There are
advantages to how you plan to file your taxes.

First, the child's parent with the highest income can prove they provide
more than half the child's support to meet the support test. This allows
your partner to pay lower taxes by claiming head of household status and the
child exemption.

Second, she can claim the standard deduction (or her itemized deductions)
and you can claim the single standard deduction (or your itemized
deductions). The combination of two single standard deductions is greater
than a married couple claiming a married standard deduction. This causes
your combined deductions to increase and reduce your taxes.

Third, there is no marriage penalty. Your combined incomes can exceed the
point where a married couple will move up into a higher tax bracket. By
separating your incomes you pay less tax overall at lower tax bracket rates.

Yah, although that isn't the REASON we're choosing to do things this way
-- it is just a happy coincidence.


BTW - I just don't understand how gays and lesbians are pressing so hard to
get the right to marriage. They will end up complaining about the higher
taxes they pay based on the right to marry because they will lose the three
advantages listed above instead of just living together.

Oh, THAT. That's easy -- the people spearheading that movement aren't
even gay.

They're divorce lawyers.

;^)

- Ron ^*^