The usual thing is that, when making the income statement, we think of this procedure as something individual, such as the adjustment of our accounts with the Treasury and always considering individual taxation. But the truth is that in some cases it may be convenient for the taxpayer to opt for the joint return.
This is not always the case, and the truth is that most taxpayers opt for individual taxation, which was done by 83% of the 21 million people who made the declaration. But, when can joint taxation be more favourable?
In the first place, the taxpayer must be clear in which cases he can take advantage of the joint taxation modality. Which can only be done by people who are part of the following family units, provided that all its members are taxpayers for the Income Tax of Physical Persons:
-Spouses not legally separated (that is, married couples) without children or with minor children who are not independent or of legal age who are legally incapacitated and subject to extended or rehabilitated parental authority.
-In cases of legal separation or without marriage (in the case of single-parent families), the father or mother who lives with the children considered in the previous point.
To determine the type of family unit, the end of the year will be taken as the date, December 31 of the year of the Income. Once a person files for joint taxation, all members of that family unit (if they do so) must file a joint tax return. But this choice is not binding: in the following year, if they so wish, they may opt for individual taxation.
What reductions does joint taxation give in Income?
The choice for joint taxation grants the taxpayer reductions in the general tax base, which in theory make this choice attractive in certain situations. The reductions, yes, depend on the type of family unit:
-Deductions of up to 3,400 euros per year are granted for married couples with minor children or adults contemplated in the previous cases. If there is a remainder after being applied to the general tax base (which cannot be negative), it can be used in the savings tax base, which cannot be negative either.
-The deductions will be up to 2,150 euros per year for legally separated spouses or single-parent families. The Personal Income Tax Law explains that this deduction cannot be applied if the taxpayer lives with the father or mother of the children who are part of the family unit. As in the previous case, it is applied to the general tax base and if there is a remainder, it is applied to the savings base.
When is a joint income taxation convenient?
For all the above, joint taxation when making the income statement makes special sense in very specific cases:
-When one of the two taxpayers of the family unit has no income.
-When one of the two taxpayers in the family unit has very low income.
-In the cases of single-parent families with children without income.
Be that as it may, the most recommended option is to check the result of the declaration in joint and individual taxation and then opt for the most favorable one. This can be done easily by the taxpayer through Renta Web on the Tax Agency’s website.
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