Can I E-File if Married and Filing Separately in Texas?

The state of Texas does not collect state income taxes; therefore, filing married but separately from your spouse is not an option at the state level. The Internal Revenue Service, however, does collect federal taxes and allows almost any taxpayer to e-file, regardless of filing status. If you are married and file separately from your spouse, as long as your return meets certain criteria, you can file electronically.

State Income Taxes

As of 2013, seven states -- South Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming, Florida, Nevada and Texas -- do not collect income tax. New Hampshire and Tennessee collect only tax on interest and dividend income.

Exceptions to E-Filing

Electronic filing, also known as e-filing, has become the standard way to file income taxes. In 2012, nearly 100 million taxpayers filed their federal income taxes using e-file. The IRS accepts the e-filing of nearly all tax forms and filing statuses, except Form 1040NR, Form 1041-QFT, Form 1040-X and some 990-T forms. Tax forms that do not qualify for e-filing must be submitted to the IRS through the mail.

How to E-File

If your income is less than $57,000, as of 2013, electronically file your federal income taxes through the Free File program on the IRS website. If your income is more than $57,000, you can use the IRS' Free File Fillable Forms directly on the IRS website. These forms perform basic math calculations and qualify for free e-filing. You can also use any other tax preparation program or pay a tax professional to prepare and e-file your income taxes.

Benefits of E-Filing

Texas residents who file separately, as well as nearly all other U.S. citizens or resident aliens, can take advantage of the convenience of e-filing. Not only is e-filing more accurate and safe than filing a paper return, the IRS can process an e-filed return faster. The time to process an e-filed return and issue a refund is approximately 21 days, but paper returns can take as long as eight to 12 weeks.