Joint Return

Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Joint Return'

A tax return filed on behalf of both the husband and wife, resulting in a combined tax liability.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Joint Return'

In most cases, filing a joint return results in a lower tax liability than filing separately would.

Related Definitions

  • Marital Deduction

    A tax deduction that allows an individual to transfer some assets to his or her spouse tax free, creating a reduction in taxable income. A marital deduction is mainly used for the ...
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  • Married Filing Jointly

    A filing status for married couples that have wed before the end of the tax year. When filing under the married filing jointly status, couples can record their respective incomes, ...
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  • Married Filing Separately

    A filing status for married couples who choose to record their respective incomes, exemptions and deductions on separate tax returns. In most cases, married filing jointly offers the ...
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    • Tax Liability

      The total amount of tax that an entity is legally obligated to pay to an authority as the result of the occurrence of a taxable event. Tax liability can be calculated by applying the ...
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    • Filing Status

      A category that defines the type of tax return form an individual will use. Filing status is closely tied to marital status. The five filing statuses are: 1. Single individual2. Married ...
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    • Head Of Household

      A status held by the person in a household who is running the household and looking after a qualified dependent. In order to qualify as head of household, the designated household must ...
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    • Single Filer

      The filing status used by a taxpayer who is unmarried and does not qualify for any other filing status.
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    • Internal Revenue Service - IRS

      A United States government agency that is responsible for the collection and enforcement of taxes. The IRS was established in 1862 by President Lincoln and operates under the authority ...
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    • Income Tax

      A tax that governments impose on financial income generated by all entities within their jurisdiction. By law, businesses and individuals must file an income tax return every year to ...
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