Tax for 2

My wife has just given up her job and is getting maternity benefit until Feb. We have been seperate for tax purposes until now.

I am going to instruct the tax office to apply all my wife's tax credits to me on January 1 so that she will get tax back for current FY. Is this a good idea ? Would it make any difference if I instructed tax office to give me her tax credits now ?

I presume that you are on joint/aggregated assessment? If so then it's much of a muchness whether you claim her unused tax credits etc. now or later. Apart from the obvious - i.e. that you'll get the benefit sooner if you do it now. For more on married taxation in general see the links in .

Don't forget to claim the Carers allowance once the little one arrives. It's not huge, but every little help.

Thanks Guys,
We are not on joint assessment yet (as far as I know) because we never informed the taxman when we married (2 years ago).
Never heard of the carers allowance but will apply.

We are not on joint assessment yet (as far as I know) because we never informed the taxman when we married (2 years ago).

Joint/aggregated taxation is usually the most beneficial for married couples. You should make sure that if you would have been better off in previous years since marriage that you claim any overpayment of tax back. You should write to Revenue with copies of your P60s for the relevant years and ask them to rebalance your tax affairs.

Never heard of the carers allowance but will apply.

See [broken link removed].