Filing separately with tax forms in both names
I was here recently asking how to file when we aren't divorced but have been separated since June 2025, so 7 months. I qualify to file HOH because I had our child the majority of those 7 months. A few forms came with both our names on them, like mortgage interest/taxes. We are amicable enough that filing jointly wouldn't be a problem, so I started going through it and realized we were going to owe at least $2000. I called him up and found out that at the beginning of 2025 when I told him to tell his company to withdraw extra per check, he never did it. (In 2024 I only worked part of the year so I did the calculation in 2025 and figured what we each needed to have taken.) So on top of him not having enough taken each check, he settled with two creditors to pay partial balances, so he got 1099-Cs worth $13,000. They are in HIS name only, I took care of my own debt prior to this by filing bankruptcy, but he was too lazy to follow suit.
ANYWAY. For the mortgage interest and tax forms, since both our names are on them, do we split the amount? Do I just let him take them because he clearly needs the credits more than I do? OR do we file jointly and make him pay the $2000 to the IRS?
Posted Mar 1, 2026, 1:48 AM UTC