Tax Law Insights

Spouses who file a joint income tax return are both jointly and severally liable for the taxes associated with the return, both federally and at the state level.  If the joint tax liability is not paid, or additional tax is assessed through an audit, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state taxing authority (the South Carolina Department of Revenue in the case of South Carolina) will pursue both spouses in an effort to collect the tax.  One spouse may have believed that the other spouse had paid the taxes, or that all income and deductions were properly reported, only to find out a few years ...