With the new tax filing deadline looming, I stopped into Black News Channel’s “BNC Live” to discuss the upsides of joint filings and the disadvantages of filing solo.

To kick off the segment, I detailed the built-in “penalties” that single individuals face in many aspects of life, including higher taxes, healthcare costs, and everyday expenses.  I shared that Black women are disproportionately affected because of pay disparities, lack of access to resources, and other community-specific challenges, and those impacts can linger long-term.

This led me to the perks of filing jointly with a partner or spouse.  Generally speaking, the U.S. tax code favors couples; filing “married jointly” offers larger deductions and more credits, leading to smaller tax bills.  For those who can take advantage, it’s certainly worth it.

It was a pleasure to bring this critical information directly to Black viewers.  Many thanks to BNC Live for having me.