Whose Name Goes First on Your Income Tax Return?

A number one with a period painted on a wall for name order on income tax return story.

As many people across the U.S. prepare to file their 2025 joint tax returns in this 2026 tax season, some are understandably concerned about issues like maximizing refunds and how to pay the IRS if they owe.

Another common question couples may have is simper: whose name should appear first on a joint federal income tax return?