Yes, W and I BOTH had to file for extensions this year. My accountant was late getting my K1 for my business put together and W always had someone else do her taxes, so at that time, we decided we'd just file for extension for each of us, as we'd be filing jointly.
Clearly, that changed once she moved out. I no longer wanted to file jointly, especially as I was due a large refund while she would owe a bit (due to her independent contracting work).
Next year, unless we're piecing, I'll be filing as either single or married but filing separately, as will she.
I also do not play games when it comes to finances, as that is yet another of my 180s... showing more fiscal control. I never spend $ on myself, but I also was never able to tell W "No, we can't afford X AND Y AND Z..." as I didn't want to disappoint her... so I'd allow her X and Y and Z and figure out a way to make it work.
No longer.
Anyway, I don't want the complications that could come with my W being pursued by the IRS for unpaid taxes... As she is still all but unemployed (Still only doing contract work for my company) they would quickly come after the spouse for the unfiled taxes. Not a headache worth having... That being said, she has an amount of unpaid taxes, but I told her that she needed to work that out with the IRS via a repayment schedule. She agreed to that and never asked for a dime from me.
Starsky, I wish I would have read your BGP post BEFORE the interactions with my W last night.
But I'm pretty sure that even me saying it nicely would come across as d!ckish... Perhaps with a bit more detachment, I won't be so worried about that kind of stuff.
I'm going to try to take this and use it as a lesson for the future... Try not to linger too long on what I SHOULD have done and be very sure to think more critically if W ever reaches out for help again.
It's going to be hard not to help, but perhaps I need to remember that by NOT helping her, I'm helping myself AND my sitch...
