Should you file taxes separately?

Filing separately usually raises your federal tax but can lower an income-driven loan payment, because most plans then size the payment on your income alone instead of the household's. On your numbers, filing separately costs about $0 more in federal tax a year and lowers your loan payment by about $9,000 a year. On these two alone, filing separately comes out ahead — but it's close enough to check carefully. This is a rough guide that weighs only the tax and that one loan payment. Confirm the plan formula with your servicer or a student-loan advisor before you decide; repayment rules change, and other credits can tip the tax math. A decision aid, not tax or loan advice.