Need some guidance/help about filing taxes for 2008??

Question

Last year my husband I filed our taxes together joint for the first time (we just got married that year we filed joint- together). This year he recieved a check of $3000 from a settlement from a job he applied a few years ago but no taxes where taken out. Now here my questions, next Feb. when we file our taxes he is going to owe since no taxes where taken out of that $3000 dollar check. Since, we filled joint last year 2007 do I have to file joint next year 2008? I don't want my taxes to be calculated from what he going to owe. Otherwise I will get nothing back from what I payed in taxes? Can we filled seperate but we are still married? Or, is there another way he can pay the taxes now so by next Feb. we can just filed out taxes together joint. We would like the most simple way because we know very very little about filing taxes.

Thanks for the help!!!

Answer 1

You can file married/seperate or married/joint.  It doesn't matter what you filed last year.  But married/joint willbe simpler.  You'd have to do it both ways to see which you end up paying less taxes as a family.