Gen Z couple. She wants to file as primary taxpayer. Any drawbacks ?

[dkh]

I have no problem with it. However, are there any potential problems down the road if they would need to be in contact with IRS or the state ?  

I live in a very "the man is the boss" community.  This is new to me.

[IRonMaN]

The only drawback is, the man is going to look like a sissy in your "the man is the boss" community. 😜

I have a number of clients where "the woman is the boss" so I don't think it really is going to be an issue for you.  

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I follow along with how it was done the prior year, if they're newly married I let them choose....kinda fouls me up when Im doing those with the wife listed first when Ive got a Sch C to add for the husband, too many times Ive forgotten to check the spouse box on it and have to go back and correct or amend!

[dkh]

Checking/not checking the spouse box  was an issue for me on this return because I'm so used to wife is spouse.  Caught myself checking that box when I shouldn't.    Of course, it couldn't be a return with just W2s.   

[dkh]

I consider my household a "woman is the boss" household.   I'm a rebel in this Amish community.

However, I do file my husband as primary on our return....lol

[BobKamman]

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@Just-Lisa-Now- wrote:

I follow along with how it was done the prior year, if they're newly married I let them choose....kinda fouls me up when Im doing those with the wife listed first when Ive got a Sch C to add for the husband, too many times Ive forgotten to check the spouse box on it and have to go back and correct or amend!

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That happened to me just yesterday -- the wife is listed first because she was a client before she married.  I caught it in time to check the box before finishing the return.

It used to be that IRS would only offset tax and other debts owed by the primary, so if the husband had them the wife was listed first.  I don't know if that's still true. 

No problem if the wife always wants to be listed first.  It's when they want to switch every year, that you have to charge extra.  

[PATAX]

Finished one recently, and I had to keep in mind when entering data that wife was primary taxpayer and husband was spouse. Just do yourself a favor, and use traditional way, unless client doesn't want too.

[IRonMaN]

But switching order of the spouses keeps your brain sharp having to remember which one is the taxpayer and which one is the spouse.  When someone brings in a return, I go with what has been done in the past.  If someone is lucky enough to marry one of my lady clients, the new husband becomes the sissy boy in Indiana. 😁

[rbynaker]

I take the same approach as Lisa.  Whomever was the client before they got married will be the taxpayer on the return.  I have had clients ask to switch them which is fine by me since I bill by the hour.

[BobKamman]

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@rbynaker wrote:

  I have had clients ask to switch them which is fine by me since I bill by the hour.

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When you have established your reputation and expertise, you can bill by 6-minute increments.  Even if it takes only three to "answer a quick question."

[TaxGuyBill]

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@IRonMaN wrote:

But switching order of the spouses keeps your brain sharp having to remember which one is the taxpayer and which one is the spouse.  😁

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There is no problem from an IRS viewpoint.

But as IronMan pointed out, you need to make sure you designate the proper taxpayer/spouse for each entry.

My 'default' has always been to enter the man/husband first.  I don't mean it as a sexist treatment, but it is for ME so I can correctly treat the taxpayer/spouse entries correctly.

I definitely don't mean this in a negative or sexist regard, but I charge a little more for those who want the woman/wife listed first, because it takes ME more effort to remember how to mark the taxpayer/spouse designations in the software.