When filing taxes, why do they always call the husband the tax payer?

...and the wife the spouse when both have equally good paying jobs?When filing taxes, why do they always call the husband the tax payer?
It's kind of traditional, I guess.





You can do it either way - they do ask, though, that you use the same order every year, although they'd still take it if you switched.





I have one client where the wife is listed as the taxpayer and the husband as the spouse year after year - and actually, he works outside the home, she stays home and home schools their six kids. Filing that way has never been a problem.When filing taxes, why do they always call the husband the tax payer?
I think that the big question is how would your husband react to seeing your name first?
Actually, that question is more important regarding your 2007 return than past returns. The economic stimulus refunds will be distributed this year based on the final two numbers in your Social Security number. The checks for those with lower numbers will be mailed out first. For joint returns, the IRS will use the SSN of the ';taxpayer'; rather than the ';spouse'; as listed on your 2007 return. Thus, the spouse with the lower numbers should be listed first for a faster refund. I hope that's you!!





Also, if you really want to speed up the refund you should fill out the direct deposit info on page 2 of your 2007 return.
They don't. Once upon a time the husband was ';required'; to put his name first. That hasn't been the case for ages, however.





You may list your names in any sequence you wish and may switch back and forth from year to year. The first person's name is referred to as the ';taxpayer'; and the second is referred to as the ';spouse'; but that's as much clarificaiton of the position of the names on the return than anything sexist.





If you read through the various IRS pubs with their myriad examples you'll see that they go to almost extreme lengths to be gender, race, and ethnicity neutral -- almost to the point that it's comical in some cases.





Edit: Your issue is with your tax preparer, NOT the IRS! Tell him or her to put your name first next year and they'll tell you to sign as ';taxpayer'; and your husband to sign as ';spouse.';
Of course NOT!!!! That is downright sexist... in more ways than one.. lol





Well for a change file your taxes this year with you as the 'tax payer' and your husband as the spouse - if that gives you some semblance of a 'level playing field' !! It wouldn't make a difference to the tax return or your taxes.
Please *don't* switch out whose name is first.





The irs indexes by the first SSN on the tax return. If you swap every year (and some folks do), it makes it a mess to call the IRS to ask account information.
It would be interesting for you to show us where in any of the IRS instructions that the husband is always referred to as the ';taxpayer'; and the wife is always referred to as the ';spouse?';