File taxes seperate or joint?

[gophermn]

If I am filing CH7 alone and not including my wife, should I also file taxes as Married filing seperate or Married filing jointly?

[mcdulph]

I would run the numbers both ways before deciding. I'll be doing the same thing b/c hubby filed Chapter 13 without me. Now that he's retired, I'll be making more money than he will. So we might possibly get to keep more of any refund by filing separately.

(But if you are asking whether you HAVE to file separately, I'm almost positive that the answer is "No".)

[danaf]

where it concerns bk7 it doesn't matter. file whichever gets you the larger return.

[gophermn]

Talking with my uncle who is a CPA said there really isnt a whole lot of difference filing seperate vs joing unlike it was 10 yrs ago?

Basically I am asking, if we file seperate and I put the house interest under my wife, and she gets a larger refund. Can the trustee go after her refund - even though I filed alone.