Married, MFS, Single?

[Roberts]

Any clue if the IRS ever really comes after people who file under an inappropriate classification? How would the IRS go about deciding who to go after?

I have clients who I'm pretty sure are married - they have forever claimed as single.

I have a friend of a friend who lives with his ex-wife and they file as single. (it is all correct as they aren't married and don't get along) IRS never questions it.

I have clients who I know haven't been married for 30+ years, still file as married. She's my neighbor, he lives about 20 miles away. I only know they aren't officially married because the grown son told me they divorced when he was in high school but I've seen their tax returns.

Have an investment client who does the MFS and they use different preparers to get around the standard deduction / itemization. They really could just be filing as single. (I'm not even sure why MFS is a category anymore honestly). In today's world, MFS seems completely outdated and a bizarre category.

 

Off the soap box.

[jklcpa]

Back on the soap box - maybe we should file like the Canadians where MFJ isn't permissible and each person files a return with his or her own income.

Stepping off now.