The Major Advantage of Being Classified as an Abandoned Spouse

question 105

Essay

The major advantage of being classified as an abandoned spouse is that the taxpayer is treated for tax purposes as being single and not married. This means that an abandoned spouse can use the more favorable tax rates available to single persons than those available to married persons filing separately. Comment on the accuracy of this conclusion.

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Definitions:

Taxable Money Market Funds

Investment funds that invest in short-term debt securities and are subject to federal and sometimes state income taxes.

Tax-exempt

Income or transactions that are free from tax at the federal, state, or local level.

No-load Mutual Fund

A mutual fund that does not charge any type of sales load or commission, allowing investors to put more of their money directly into investments.

Expense Ratio

The annual fee that mutual funds, index funds, and ETFs charge their shareholders, expressed as a percentage of the fund's average net assets.