"Married "Married filing separately" and living in separate households?

Question

My spouse and I were married in June 2006. We have maintained separate households and pay our own bills on our own homes. I am 51 and he is 53. Neither of us make a large income. I make about 35, 000 a year and he makes about 30,000. I have two college aged children. I have always received earned income and filed head of household. I am concerned if I do not file separately it may cause problems for my children's college financial aid.

Let me add this note: neither of our homes are large enough to accomodate us all...short of kicking out my kids - and that's certainly not an option. We cannot afford to sell either home because the area in which we live is economically poor - people are walking away from their homes and letting them foreclose rather than even try to sell. Why did we marry? We are both in our 50's and frankly, we love each other and wanted to make that committment of spirit. It just hasn't extended to our pockets and bankaccounts. :)

Answer 1

Why in the hell did you get married if you are living separate lives? As a matter of fact, the way you are doing it now is absolutely silly. You both have 2 houses, paying 2 lots of bills...If you had one house and one set of bills and an income of $75,000, how could that disadvantage anyone. Sell both houses, buy one that you all can live in....invest whatever is left. Even if you put the money in a bank, the interest probably may pay for your childrens college bills. I think the way you are doing it now is absolutely crazy and financially speaking, it would be far better if you combined your incomes and lived in one house. You are married, so the responsibility of your childrens income now falls on both your shoulders...You are a couple now, why not be a couple in the true sense of the word....dont be married and be apart because of money....it makes a mockery of marriage. And anyway, I reckon the way you are doing it now is costing you more anyway.

Answer 2

you can both just file head of houshold on your respective address and you should be good to go