2023-06-30 17:10:12
One of the great doubts that assist us when we prepare to carry out the statement of income is whether it is more convenient to present a joint or individual statement. Some of these options have their advantages and disadvantages and, depending on the case, it will be more beneficial to choose one path or another.
To clear up your doubts, in this article we explain the joint return definition of the rent, as well as who can file a joint return and when it benefits you to opt for it.
What is a joint declaration?
The general rule tells us that the personal income tax return is filed individually. However, people integrated into a family unit can declare jointly. For this reason, it is important to know the concept of family unit that the Treasury manages:
In case of marriagethe family unit is made up of the spouses who are not legally separated and, if any:
Minor children, with the exception of those who, with the consent of the parents, live independently of them.
If there is no marriageor in cases of legal separation, the family unit will be made up of:
The father or mother and all of the children who live with one or the other and meet the requirements indicated above.
It must be taken into account that the age of majority is reached at 18 years and that the determination of the members of the family unit is made based on the existing situation on December 31 of each year.
Who can file the joint return?
The Tax Agency itself explains What are the possible cases to file the joint income statement. Specifically, spouses with a marriage bond can do so along with all their minor children or legally incapacitated adults.
In the unmarried couples, only one of its members can form a family unit with all their legally incapacitated minor or older children. The other member of the couple must declare individually.
In the cases of separation or divorce marriage, the option for joint taxation will correspond to the person who has been assigned custody of the children on the date of accrual of the Personal Income Tax, as it is the parent who lives with them.
In the cases of shared guardianship and custodythe option of joint taxation can be exercised by either of the two parents, with the other opting to file individually.
Characteristics of the joint declaration
To know in which cases it is convenient for you to make the joint declaration, it is important to attend to certain applicable rules in these cases. Consider all of the following:
To determine the obligation to declare, individual taxation rules apply. It is not appropriate to raise or multiply the amounts or limits based on the number of members of the family unit.
The income of any type obtained by each and every one of the members of the family unit will be taxed cumulatively.
The joint declaration does not imply extending any of the limits that affect certain deductible items, except in the cases expressly provided for in the tax regulations.
The amount of minimum per taxpayer will be 5,550 euros per year, regardless of the number of members integrated into the family unit. Therefore, it cannot be ‘duplicated’ in the case of a joint declaration.
Both taxpayers will be jointly responsible for the possible tax debt contracted as a result of the joint declaration of the rent. Therefore, the debt will be payable in its entirety to any of them.
In joint declarations a reduction in the tax base is established of:
3,400 euros per year for a family unit made up of marriages not legally separated and disabled minor or older children who live together.
2,150 euros per year for a single-parent family unit made up of an unmarried, widowed or legally separated father or mother with disabled minor or older children who live with him or her. This will not apply if the taxpayer lives with the father or mother of any of the children that are part of her family unit.
Los applicable rates They will be identical to those of the individual declaration.
Change from individual to joint declaration
If you wish change from individual declaration to jointa, doing it is very simple and, in addition, you will be able to compare which option is most beneficial from Rent WEBwithout consulting both modalities committing you to anything.
To do so, click on ‘New tax return’ and the window will load with your identification data as taxpayer, as well as those of the rest of taxpayers if you are part of a family unit.
If you only want the program calculate your individual returncheck the box ‘If you want the program to only calculate the taxpayer’s individual return, check here’, located at the top, above the taxpayer’s data.
In tax returns with a spouse, if you would like to compare the result of the tax return in the different tax options, individual or joint, you will need your spouse’s reference number or a PIN code that authorizes access.
Once obtained, you will be able to modify or add members of the family unit, taking into account that the family situation (marital status, among others) cannot be modified later.
Verify the identification data and press ‘Accept’ at the bottom. Next:
If you do not need to add additional information To generate the declaration, you will directly access the declaration summary, from where you can both check the result of the declaration for each modality, and complete the declaration if necessary. From each of the declarations, you can download a PDF with the view declaration of each declarant or joint, which is not suitable for filing, but can serve as a query. If you agree with the result, you can click on ‘File declaration’ in the modality you want (Declarant, Spouse or Joint), according to the most favorable situation.
Individual or joint declaration?
It is common to wonder what is better, whether to do the joint or individual statement and the answer is that it depends. The good news is that, when filing the income statement for each year, you can choose to file the individual or joint return if you are part of a family unit.
The option to submit the individual or joint return does not bind the family unit for successive years.
Of course, do not forget that:
If you choose to file jointlythe income of any type obtained by each and every one of the members of the family unit is accumulated.If any of the members of the family unit files an individual returnthe remaining members must use this same tax regime.
When is it beneficial to file a joint return?
In general, the joint declaration compensates when one of the parties of the couple does not receive income Or they are very low. Also when there are equity gains and losses that can be offset in the same statement.
In addition, since single-parent families can also take advantage of this declaration modality, it will compensate them to do so as long as their children do not receive income. In any case, it is best to consult an advisor or make use of the tools offered by the tax agency itself to assess which option is most beneficial.
Once the statement individually or jointly, you can only change the option if you file new returns within the filing deadline. After said period, you will not be able to change the taxation option for that tax period.
When does it pay to make the individual declaration?
The usual thing is that, in the event that both parties of the couple receive an average salary or a normal income of any type, it compensates that each one carry out an individual declaration. In this way, a progressive scale will be avoided from being applied to all the income that harms both parties. It will also be possible for each member of the couple to separately apply the individual minimum of 5,550 euros. Keep in mind that, in the case of a joint declaration, the reduction will be a total of 3,400 euros.
It must also be taken into account that the existence of children does not influence too much in the choice of one modality or anothersince, in case of making the individual declaration, each member of the couple will repeat the 50% reduction.
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